The Thirteenth Order
by Zeromaru Chaos Mode
Summary: If the Heartless were the first enemy, and the Nobodies were the third...who would be the second? They are called the Mindless. And with a new existence appearing who's intent is unknown, can Sora, Kairi and Riku combat this new threat?
1. Prologue: Darkness

_Darkness…_

_I've been trapped in darkness for so long…_

_These Eyes…these damn Eyes…an entire world…destroyed because of these Eyes of mine…_

_The last survivor…the only one left…and I'm stuck here…floating in Darkness…_

A young man…floating in the darkness. Long black hair drifting about him… He feels something…unusual…

_That's odd…something's coming…_

"Cursed…Keyblade…"

_Keyblade? That sounds…redundant…is it a key or is it a blade? To be both at once…well…I guess one could look at it that way…_

"I cannot…allow…end…"

_Right…look buddy, I don't know who you are, but you're not making any sense._

"A…boy? I see…you…will help me…"

_I never agreed to anything like that._

"You have…no…choice…Kingdom…Hearts….will…be…mine…"

_Kingdom Hearts? That sounds just as stupid as a "Keyblade." What the hell have YOU been smoking?_

"Jest…all…you want…your body…will help me…"

_Dude…I don't swing that way. I cant see SHIT here, but I'm damn certain I don't want anything to do with you._

"No…choice…Kingdom…Hearts…Will…Be…MINE!"

_What the f-_

A searing flare of light erupted into the eyes of the floating young man. Next thing he knew was nothing…he couldn't feel his body…he couldn't see anything…but he knew…something happened…as his senses faded…he knew…

_Bastard…it's not…over…_

"Yes! At long last…I can finally complete my task…but as I am now…I am no match for the Keyblade wielder…"

The dark skinned man with glowing orange eyes and sliver hair scanned his surroundings.

"A Dark Corridor? This body's old owner must have been skilled…but that is irrelevant now."

He felt it. The faint presence of the others.

"I see…Though their Hearts and Bodies may have been lost…their spirits remain…just as powerful as before. Come to me my allies. Join with me, and together, may our combined power defeat the ones chosen by the Keyblade!"

Eleven swirling orbs of darkness appeared around the man. Each one held an image of a weapon. Each one holding the remaining power of the members of Organization XIII. All of them melded into one and the one fused with the man. But there was something still missing.

"It would seem I am still missing something…ahh…yes…Roxas…the Nobody of Sora…Very well…I can take out two birds with one stone."

He turned to the transparent form of the young man who's body he took.

"I must thank you young one…for without you, this would not have been possible…I will be sure to return for your soul and place it somewhere in honor of your assistance."

The man became engulfed with a swirling orb of dark energy.

"But for now…I must go to Destiny Islands…the Keyblade Wielders await…"

The dark orb vanished.

_Destiny…Islands…_

The young man's flickering form began glowing a faint silver.

_I don't care…what it takes…I'm going to get…my body back…_

His eyes slowly opened…revealing glowing silver irises.

_These Eyes…once more…I will use the power…my Eyes grant me…_

The silver aura engulfed him…and in a wave of shimmering lights…he too vanished.

These events…would put in motion…the return of Balance to the Worlds…

* * *

Woo…first KH fic. I've actually got a bloody plot written out! It's only four worlds long, and I've not a fecking clue how many chapters that'll be. Blame KHII Final Mix for this. Blasted thing gave me ideas. But…I should be gaining inspiration for my other stories soon. I've already almost completely mapped out where From Fantasy to Reality is going, I've got some ideas for The Shattered Blade, and I just have to wrap my head around what I'm doing for this bloody part of Trials of a Goddess I'm doing.

I'm going to spoil the worlds for you right now. In order, after shit goes down on Destiny Islands, it will be:

Spira: Final Fantasy X/X-2. It'll take place after X-2, and Tidus will be around. I don't care if he actually returns at the end of the damn game or not cause I couldn't be assed to finish it. My fic, my rules.

Valhalla/Midgard: Valkyrie Profile. Never played 1, and I'm almost done with 2. So it'll take place in between those two. For this fic, all three Valkyrie will be awakened at the same time for some important matter. Yes, I know no more than one is supposed to be around at once, but fuck it, there's something going on that requires all three, because Miss "I'm too good to walk" Freya cant be arsed to do anything about it.

Disney Castle: Plot and only Plot. Then straight to…

Radiant Garden. More plot, training and insight to the OC and his assistant. Yes, he'll get an assistant.

After that…I dunno. I'll take suggestions though. Just be forewarned, if I don't know the world, you'd BETTER be forthcoming with information about it.


	2. Beginning of an End

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter I: How It All Started…**

**Destiny Islands…**

(BGM: Chrono Cross – Time's Grasslands, Home World)

"C'mon Kairi! You can do better than that!"

"I'm trying Riku! I don't know how you guys do it so easily…"

"Well, we always did fight with those wooden swords."

"Yeah, and I was always watching. Just face it; I'm not as strong as you guys."

"Oh come on! You did great back in the Castle. You can do it again."

"It was the adrenaline. That's all."

"That's not true. You've got talent. It's just untapped. Come on, let's take a rest. Give your muscles time to recover and we'll try again."

"Fine, fine…"

"Oh don't be like that Kairi, you've got a keyblade now, you're one of us! Even if nothing happens for the rest of our lives, it's a good workout, and I know you women like to stay in shape."

THWACK!

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You should know Sora."

_**She's got you there bro. Not a good choice of words…**__Oh be quiet Roxas._

It was strange. For some reason, not long after the group returned to the islands, Roxas started talking to him in Sora's mind. It shouldn't have been possible, seeing as the two halves had joined as one, but it was happening. He kept it to just the three of them, Kairi and Riku. Kairi hadn't had any contact with Naminé though.

Life returned to normal for the three heroes. Kairi soon learned she could summon her own keyblade, the one that Riku handed to her in The Castle That Never Was, and was soon coerced into practicing with it alongside Riku and Sora. It wasn't that she didn't want to; it was simply that she didn't believe she was strong enough. The way Sora and Riku reasoned, was that if her heart was strong enough to summon that blade back in the first place, she was worthy of wielding it. And they would know too. They themselves have experienced how temperamental the magical weapon could be.

It had only been a few months after their last adventure, but already the group had once again settled into their old routine. They'd have thought it a dream, if not for the Keyblades themselves. At first however, Kairi wondered why she could summon the Keyblade herself. Sora had a rather simple theory.

"Chalk it up to you being the Seventh Princess of Heart."

The other two had forgotten about that little tidbit. Kairi chronically forgot she didn't originate from Destiny Islands the way Riku and Sora did. Living in a place for nearly your entire life will do that. They had few troubles on the islands now…and they were finally at peace.

Unfortunately, peace tends to have that little trait of shattering when it's just being gotten used to…

Their Keyblades suddenly flashed into their hands.

"What the…"

"Guys? What's going on? Why'd they just appear like that?"

"So…it would seem that the Keyblade can sense when an opponent is near…"

Sora and Riku suddenly Stiffened. They whirled around to see a swirling black dome appear on the wooden bridge.

(BGM: Final Fantasy X – Hurry!)

"Xemnas!"

"But…we defeated you already!"

"Indeed, warriors of the Keyblade. You did best me in battle. But I am nothingness itself…I am eternal. You cannot defeat that which does not exist."

"Then if you don't exist, why are you here?"

"That…is something that as much as I would like, I have no answer for. I know not how I survived…only that your final attack was intended to destroy a heart I do not have…therefore, though it may have destroyed my form, it did not destroy my spirit."

"Then how did you come back?!"

"A combination of things. My own will, combined with the remaining powers of Eleven of the Thirteen Nobodies you combated and defeated…along with…a body, supplied by a young man floating in a Dark Corridor. I ejected his spirit and used my gathered powers to change his form into a more…suitable appearance."

"Wait…you stole a body?!"

"Ahh…you must be the girl…Naminé's host…Kairi was it? Yes, I ejected the boy's soul out of his body and took it for my own. I do plan on returning and finding a suitable home for his soul at a later time however, the Realm of the Between isn't a very good place for an unanchored soul to reside after all…and he did unwillingly do me a favor."

Sora and Riku got into a battle pose. "Xemnas…you've gone too far this time!"

"He's right, this time we'll put you down for good!"

"Indeed? Well, I do like a challenge…however…"

With a flick of the man's wrist, Kairi and Riku were flung to the side, away from Sora. The original Keyblade wielder was bound by swirling waves of energy.

"What…what are you-

Xemnas raised his arm and fired a series of energy bolts into Sora's chest. Sora felt the energy pass through his body and inside him, grasping on to something.

_**Gahh! **__R-Roxas!_

Indeed, Roxas' form began overlapping Sora's. The young Nobody's transparent 'soul' began slowly floating away from Sora's body. Suddenly the soul was turned into a glowing black sphere that held the image of two Keyblades crossed in an X shape on it. The sphere flew into Xemnas' hand and the man glowed with energy.

"Yes! At last, all thirteen powers have returned."

Sora dropped to the ground where Riku and Kairi ran to his aid. Using his dark grey Keyblade, for he had chosen the Fenrir Keychain, as a support, he shakily rose to his feet. He felt the empty space in his heart where Roxas once was.

"Xemnas! What did you do to him!"

"Ahh, Riku, I simply returned his Nobody's power to its rightful place. It is a pity that I cannot utilize their powers myself, for my persona is far too strong…but the fact that they are there, along with mine, is enough to enhance my powers exponentially. Now, if you will excuse me…I have another matter to attend to…"

A swirling dome of dark energy encompassed him and pulled him away. However, due to his usage and experience with the Darkness, Riku had retained the ability to track larger amounts of dark energy. His eyes widened in fear as he realized what Xemnas was going to do.

"He's going for the door!"

"Door?"

"The one in the cave! The door to the Heart of this world!"

Sora shook off the dizziness. "We have to stop him then!"

The three of them nodded and ran to the cove in which lay the door to the heart of their world, Destiny Islands.

However…in their haste…they failed to notice a small spark of glittering silver light appear from behind a tree.

_So…his name…is Xemnas…_

The image of a black haired dark skinned boy appeared behind the spark.

_Damn…I'm fading fast…I've got to get my body back…_

The image faded and the glowing light slowly followed after the group.

* * *

The group caught up to Xemnas, only to watch as his form faded in a wave of light within the now open door.

"Crap, he already got in. We have to hurry!"

"Guys, is this really such a good idea? Have you ever…_been _inside the Heart of a world?"

"No...but…"

"Well…what if we…die? I mean, we're only human, there might be…I don't know…something in there that would…maybe destroy our bodies…"

Sora looked on, a determined frown on his face.

"Believe in the Keyblade. It will protect us."

He looked back at Kairi and Riku.

"Come on. We don't have time."

Before they could stop him, he jumped through.

"Gah! Why is he always so stubborn?!"

"He has a point though…we shouldn't worry. I don't know how useful I'll be…but…Sora's counting on us! He can't do this alone! And we're the only ones who can help him! Come on Riku! You know he's helpless without us."

"Just like old times, huh Kairi?"

"Yeah. I still owe you a slap for being stupid though. Honestly, thinking Sora abandoned you and me for those two…"

"Hey now…I was just a kid…"

"You were older than both of us, and friends with us our entire lives. You really should have known. But…now's not the time for that. After this, I'm gonna kick your butt!"

"Bring it on little girl."

"Who are you calling little?!"

Giving her a mock leer, he nodded.

"You're right…you're not little anymore now are you?"

"Riku! You're such a pervert!"

"Bet you wouldn't mind if it was Sora saying that now would you?"

She just blushed and glared. "Hmph…this is taking too long, I'm going in!"

"Aah! Kairi wait!"

She jumped in. Riku smacked his forehead with his free palm. "Geez…they're perfect for each other…"

He too jumped in.

The glowing spark appeared just as Riku vanished.

_So those are…Keyblades…looks like my thoughts of people waving around oversized keys wasn't too far off…_

The glowing spark flew through the doorway.

**

* * *

****Heart of the World: Destiny Islands**

"Welcome…warriors of the Keyblade."

Blackness. Blackness surrounded them. The only light came from a brilliant sphere glowing a pale red. White wisps of energy swirled around it like a vortex as the sphere pulsed slowly, like a beating heart.

"This is…the heart of a world?"

"Beautiful isn't it? The heart of a world is a glorious thing that few ever see. You should be honored to fall here."

"Fall? You're the one who's gonna fall Xemnas!"

"Pitiful fools…I shall take the heart of this world and use its vast power to restore my Kingdom Hearts! Come warriors of the Keyblade! Fight the final battle of your existences!"

(BGM: Valkyrie Profile 2 Silmeria – In Order to Acquire the Light in That Hand)

Before they could react, Xemnas had fired tendrils of spiraling energy at them. They all jumped out of the way, narrowly evading the attack. Sora and Riku rode the currents of energy and phased their way to Xemnas, who disappeared in a flicker of movement before they could attack. The tan skinned man appeared in front of Kairi and engaged his red energy beam and swung it at her. She barely ducked out of the way and tried to make a clumsy counterattack, but was easily deflected by the much more experienced fighter's weapon. He spun with the deflection and kicked her in the back of the head, knocking her away.

Sora brought Fenrir down upon Xemnas' head, delivering a solid blow. He followed up with a series of horizontal swings, twirling his blade around his hand while repeatedly twisting his body on each swing. Finally he jumped back and thrust forward with a finishing strike of the combo that sent Xemnas flying back. Riku took to the air and unleashed a flurry of slashes upon Xemnas, before ending with a forward flip with his blade extended. After, Xemnas quickly recovered and flickered away again, this time sending out a clone to attack Riku with a series of flipping movements with both blades extended.

Riku weathered the attack, which gave Kairi an opening to perform a club swing with her own Keyblade into Xemnas' face, and follow up with a pivot on her foot and slamming it into his chest. The elder warrior responded by firing a wave of spiraling jagged energy from his hands. Riku flickered in front of Kairi and threw his hands forward, summoning a small but effective curved wall of energy that forced the attack to splinter out along the sides of the barrier.

Xemnas flickered away again, only to reappear near Sora, throwing a handful of small red orbs in a circle around the boy. Sora twirled his blade around in his hand and called up a transparent glowing orb of light just as the orbs turned into bolts and all attempted to crash into him. The protective field then splintered and then shattered creating a number of small explosions around the Keyblade Master and stunning the approaching Xemnas.

Riku took that chance to once again hack away at the grey haired man. Kairi too slammed her own weapon repeatedly into the elder warrior. However with a shout of annoyance and an accompanying wave of force, all three teens were knocked away.

Kairi was the first to her feet. She ran at Xemnas, holding her Keyblade to the side, mimicking Sora's stance. Xemnas threw his hand in front of him and a wall of light composed of transparent white rectangular boxes slammed into place. Her swing was deflected, and Xemnas took that opening to slam the red beams being emanated from his palms into her side, knocking her away rather painfully. Sora and Riku approached from both sides, trying to flank him and draw his attention away from Kairi, but the Nobody anticipated that maneuver and thrust his palms out sending tendrils of neutrality at them, repelling them.

"It would seem that you are the weakest link of your little chain. What say I…break that link?"

He flickered in front of her, and before she could react, a foot slammed into her face, kicking her away and giving her a massive headache.

"Kairi!"

"Leave her alone!"

"Silence."

Another set of tendrils slammed into the young men, further pinning them to the 'ground'.

Xemnas raised his right hand. Within it, one of his spheres of crackling energy appeared.

"I wouldn't be able to do this if not for the power of my own allies backing me. As of now, the Keyblade will have one less wielder. Good-bye, little girl."

He pointed at Kairi, and the sphere, now nearly as big as the core of their world, rocketed towards the red-haired girl. Frozen in fear, time seemed to slow as Sora and Riku called for her to move. Her mind locked up, her muscles would not respond.

And that…was what allowed for the next event…to occur…

(Stop music)

BOOOM!

A grand explosion erupted from where Kairi lay.

"KAIRI!"

The light faded… 

"NO! Impossible!"

Standing there…completely unharmed…Keyblade held firmly in hand and outstretched, pointing right at Xemnas…

Kairi stood. Her bowed head raised…and the three of them saw…

Glowing Silver Eyes stared at Xemnas.

* * *

(BMG: Valkyrie Profile 2 – Unrestrained Struggle)

_What…happened? _**Not bad…I didn't think it would work for a moment there…**_What? Who are you?! _**Consider me an ally. I did, after all, save your life. **_But…my body…_**At the moment it's MY body. But don't worry, I don't plan on keeping it. It's…interesting being in a girl's body, but I'd rather not stay.**

_You're…controlling my body? _**I've got a lot more combat experience, and power than you do Kairi. You just sit back and relax.**

"How? How can this be?"

"For a second…I didn't think that would work. Seems this thing's got more to it than just being goofy looking."

"Kairi?"

"Sorry. She's resting right now."

"Naminé?"

"Who?"

"Wait…who are you?! Where's Kairi!"

They were puzzled…for the being spoke with her voice…but didn't speak as she did. The way her body was held…it was with confidence…with power…

"I'm here…to get my body back."

"You? How did you-

"Xemnas, was it? I told you you'd pay. You sure picked the wrong guy to piss off."

Before the tan skinned man could react, "Kairi" was in his face, right arm pulled across her chest, and prepared to swing. Xemnas barely evaded a very skillful swipe to his chest, but wasn't prepared for the crescent shaped wave of energy that slammed into him after the swing.

_How did you do that?! What was that black line? _**It's one of my gifts…and one of my curses. I see the 'death' of all things. Those lines are the rifts in between life and death, the borders that bind the world together. I can see these "points" these "borders" and interact with them.**

Xemnas recovered and launched a Nothingness Sphere at Kairi. It expanded along the way intending to engulf the girl. The silver eyes flared for a split second, and her body pulled her right arm back and thrust towards just above the center of the sphere. At the point of impact, Kairi saw a black dot with crooked, jagged lines extending from it. Within moments the sphere collapsed on itself, the energy flying everywhere but towards Kairi.

**See? I can "kill" anything I choose, even creations made of pure energy. If it exists, it can be destroyed. But normally I have to use something sharp to do it. Even something as weak as a fingernail can work…but I guess this…Keyblade must have some sort of magic that allows it to function like a sword, though it's a blunt object.**

_That's…horrible…_**Isn't it? But it can do good things too. I once encountered someone who was struck with a poisoned dart. Hit right at his heart too. He was a good friend of mine, and I was really afraid he would die…when I saw something. The poison, because it was reproducing itself through his heart, had a 'point.' I grabbed the nearest twig and slammed it into that point. However this power works, cause even I'm not sure, it erased the poison, and he was unharmed…somehow. He said it felt like the twig was passing through him, but didn't hurt.**

After that little note, Kairi's body swung her keyblade two more times, launching crescent waves of energy at Xemnas. He flickered out of the way and attempted the flipping motion again, only to get knocked back when Kairi swung in a perfect vertical line down and smacked him away with another wave.

**Damn…where the hell is it?! **_What are you looking for? _**His 'point'. I can end this and get my body back if I could just find the damn thing. Normally people would have multiple points, not many just three or four, scattered around the body. And it's not always in vital areas either. But he's pretty powerful, so his existence is strong, making it difficult for him to be completely destroyed.**

Sora and Riku could do nothing more but watch in awe as Kairi seemed to land on one foot and then flicker from view, only to appear in front of Xemnas for an attack. Most of the time it was blocked or evaded, but always just narrowly. Finally, Xemnas got a thrusting kick in on Kairi's chest.

**Thank god you've got a decent pair of boobs girl, or that would have hurt a lot more. **_I-you-what?!_

Rubbing her chest, Kairi's body chuckled as her eyes narrowed.

_Hey! Hands off! _The voice simply laughed. **Always did wonder what it'd be like to do **_**that **_**as a girl…** Kairi saw the thought that he was refrencing to and blushed knowing that she herself had done that very thing…**Aha…do I detect some sexual tension between you and the brunette? **_Stop being a pervert and fight! _**Rawr, the little lion has claws huh? Well then, after this is over I expect you to train kiddo. After all, you cant let the kid be the dominant one now can you?**

Her inner mind simply blushed and muttered about perverts surrounding her.

As she did that her body touched down again and flickered from view. Another swing at Xemnas, this time a back hand from the left, followed by a fan kick to his face ending with a pivoting back left leg kick, the voice saw what he was looking for.

**Gotcha…time to end this little game. Kid, sorry, but you're about to be more sore than your crotch on your period. **_EXCUSE ME?!_

Twirling the blade in her hand, Kairi's body glowed a faint silver as a very dark smirk appeared on her face.

"Asobi wa…"

The girl rocketed forward in a wave of silver energy and slammed the Keyblade into Xemnas' chest. She bounced back slightly after the impact and then jumped and slammed her left heel into his face. Moving with the kick, Kairi then spun again, slamming the Keyblade down into his right shoulder. Pivoting again, the girl swept her left leg along the ground knocking Xemnas off his feet before grabbing his right leg and spin tossing him away. The man flipped in the air and was suddenly assaulted by a crescent wave of energy.

Kairi kept swinging the Keyblade, launching wave after wave at the man, each one dealing a serious amount of pain. Finally she launched the Keyblade with a snap of her wrist and it spun on a trajectory towards Xemnas' torso. It smashed into his chest and bounced up. Suddenly, Kairi flickered in front of him and slammed a glowing silver fist into Xemnas' face.

The force of the blow made Xemnas' body arc backward. Kairi raised her right hand and grabbed the Keyblade from the air.

"OWARI DA!"

The silver eyes flared again and suddenly a black dot appeared right in the direct center of Xemnas' body. Kairi slammed the Keyblade into the point.

**HAH! Later kiddo. Remember, go on the pill and always wear a condom! **_What?! HEY!_

A blinding silver light erupted from the point of impact.

"What…is…nnnooooOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

A massive explosion of silver light rocketed through the area. Energy swirled into the center point that the Keyblade struck…and then erupted in a wave of silver. All three Keyblade wielders were blinded by the light, and deafened by the explosion…and soon…all they saw was black as their bodies passed out from the sheer force of the blast.

* * *

Beams of light erupted from the ground. The ocean waves warped and twisted, the ground cracked as huge fissures appeared with glowing silver energy erupting from them. Pillars of white and red reached for the heavens. People screamed, buildings collapsed as huge chunks of rock launched into the sky, and then fell from the air.

From space, all you saw was beams of light suddenly appearing on the planet's surface…and suddenly, the planet became one big sphere of white…

Rings of energy emanated from the sphere, shockwaves of power that not even the vacuum of space could silence. Energy lanced around the sphere as it burned itself to extinction. The links of both light and shadow that tied that world to the collective were overloaded, and the shockwaves traveled through them, echoed on every world that was connected to that one. Sudden gusts of wind would appear, a strange unsettling feeling that something terrible just happened washed over their inhabitants as the final cries of the dying planet reached the cores of those it was bound to. The boundaries between light and dark weakened and cracked…

Destiny Islands…

The world that housed the Keyblade Bearers…

The world where it all began…

Was completely…

Utterly…

Entirely…

**Destroyed…**

* * *

Now how is THAT for a first chapter? Epic enough for you? Yes, I destroyed the Islands. Honestly, other than a place to start, they really served little purpose in the continuity so far. And yes, Xemnas, AKA Mansex, has been destroyed completely as well. Anyone who knows where I got the idea for the Eyes should know how they work. If you have questions, PM me, or E-Mail me. I'd be happy to answer them.

D&S Master: Yo. Been a while huh? Yeah, I figured Heartless are the first, Nobodies are the Third. But they never specified who the SECOND was. And I figured, why not drones? They have no real purpose but to just kill stuff. So, the Mindless. Plus, I noticed in the KHII guidebook, when they showed an image of one of the Organization members, there was a crest with the Heartless Symbol on the right, the Nobody symbol on the left, and a third symbol, a circle with an X in the center, with kinda spike things coming out of it. So I thought of the Mindless. Hope this chapter impressed you.

Static Reflection: Well I'm glad you enjoyed it. As I said, I have a good bit of plot for this written out, but after a certain point, it kinda…fades. I'll probably keep this story short, I have way too many going on right now, but it'll be interesting. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Well, here it is. The ground base for everything. Whenever I make the next chapter, Spira appears! Have fun!

Oh and by the way, I REALLY suggest you at least get that last song. It makes the end of this chapter feel REALLY epic.


	3. Spira

(BGM: Brave Fencer Musashi – Corona Jumper)

"Damn…what are these things?"

**What? Where am I?**

"So many lines…so little time…"

She heard herself speaking…but in a male voice. She felt herself moving. A grotesque humanoid figure lunging at her. She brought a rune covered blade up and through the creature's own sword. Within the blink of an eye, her body delivered three lightning quick slashes, the first, horizontally from left to right, the second diagonally down from right to left and the third again, horizontally from left to right. The creature, which looked like little more than a flesh covered skeleton with a strange hat, fell to pieces.

**Eww! What was that thing?!**

"They look like the bastards that took out my home…and left me in darkness…"

She felt her insides begin to burn. "Well then…let's see how you like a little **BURNINATING!"**

As the voice said that, She saw tendrils of darkness swirl around her arm and burst into a bright orange-red ball of flame. A ring of fire surrounded the glowing sphere, just before she felt herself slam it into the ground in front of her, summoning a massive wall of flame that surrounded her and then rocketed away, engulfing the creatures.

Yet they still came.

"Wait what?" **Oh no…it didn't work! Not that I know what's going on…**

"Tch, fine then…"

The air around her glowed blue, as her body swung her hands into the air. Seemingly from nowhere a gigantic wave of water slammed down on the flaming beasts, shoving them back…but doing little else.

"Not done yet!"

From below, six glowing iron lances shot from the ground. She watched herself raise her arms into the air, swirling green energy gathering above her palms and then slam her hands into the ground. As the body did that, the lances impaled themselves on the wet ground. The energy dispersed and she was flung into the sky.

"I wonder what's going to happen next…"

With a crackle, came small sparks of yellow lightning between her fingertips. It condensed into a sphere, which she launched into the sky. Moments after, there was a brilliant flash as a torrent of lightning raced towards her body.

**AAAAHHH!**

The lightning forked six ways, striking the lances and electrifying the water on the ground. The sheer magnitude of the combination of elements reduced the creatures to atoms.

"They just kept coming…"

She landed.

"I don't like this…I don't like this at all…these things weren't around last time I was here. Something's happened…and I'm gonna find out…"

**Find out what?! What were those things? Hey! Answer me!**

She felt the body walking over to pick up the discarded sword.

"That took too much…I need a partner…someone strong…"

**Wh-what? I'm…**

As she gazed into the sword…she saw the reflection…it wasn't her. It was the face of a brown skinned young man.

**Who…what's…happening…?**

The last thing she saw before blackness engulfed her…were his eyes, once glowing silver…returning to a dark brown…

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter II: Brand New World, Same Old Friends**

* * *

(BGM: Kingdom Hearts Complete – Dive into the Heart _Destati_)

…_**ai…i…airi…Kairi…Kairi! Kairi wake up! **__Uhh…ow…my head… __**You ok? **__Yeah…just…hey wait! Naminé? __**Yeah. What was that? **__Wait you saw it too? __**Was I not supposed to? **__No…yes…I don't know…_

The red-haired girl looked around.

_Um…where are we? __**Inside your mind. After that guy…did whatever it was he did…we both were knocked unconscious. You're still out. But at least now your mind is active again. I guess it's my fault, normally people aren't supposed to be able to go into a place like this…but since we're two separate halves of the same soul, I was able to pull you here and wake you up.**_

_So…you live here? __**Basically. Kairi…who was that? **__I don't know…but…I think it was the guy who…__**Took over your body? **__Yeah…he could see the lines…__**I've never heard of such a power…**__Well…wouldn't that be because you're a Nobody? __**You'd think…but Marluxia and the others, and especially Diz…I mean Ansem and Riku too…they talked a LOT. And always about unusual things. It just surprises me that they didn't know of such a power…**_

_Well, they're all smart…but…maybe they just never encountered a world that had it? __**That's possible…but…that one attack…almost looked like one of Axel's. **__Axel? What do you mean? __**He had a habit of throwing giant walls of fire at his enemies when they started annoying him. Goofy weirdo aside, he was very strong…and a master of the flame…**__yeah, Sora told me about what he did to open the way…_

_**Oh hey, I think you're starting to wake up! **__Everything's starting to flicker…yeah, I think you're right. __**I'll still be here…so I should be able to still talk to you. **__Good…can you…only see through my eyes? __**Yes…but I do have a decent perception range. Don't worry, I've got you covered. **__Thanks Naminé. __**No problem. Now go on, wake up!**_

"Hey! Riku! She's waking up!"

"Agh…not so loud Sora! My head hurts enough already…"

"Ah, sorry…"

"You alright there Kairi? You were out for a while."

"Yeah…I'm fine…um…hey, where are we?" _I'm saying that a lot lately aren't I? __**Yes, you definitely are.**_

The red-haired teen looked around. Behind her was a cliff, leading to a ravine. Around her were beautiful trees and flowers, until a certain point where it became dirt path between two big hills.

"I don't know. We were waiting for you before we went anywhere…"

"Well, I'm alright now…let's go!"

The other two nodded and set off. Quickly, they reached a fork in the road.

"Which way?"

"Well…I hear water to the right…so let's check it out."

"Alright. Sora, take point. I'll follow next to Kairi. We don't know what to expect here."

"Got it. Let's go guys."

They climbed up the small hill in the path and continued on. Soon they reached the location where the sound of water was coming from.

"Wow…"

"Whoa…

"Beautiful…"

The three stared open mouthed at the pathway that was underneath a series of waterfalls.

"I don't know where we are, but I'm liking this place already!"

The three continued on their way, along the path behind the waterfalls. They stopped to take a look at the view on a bridge suspended over the raging waters.

"Amazing…"

"I don't believe it!"

A voice called out from along the bridge. The three of them turned.

"Sora! Kairi! Riku!"

A blonde haired man wearing an unusual outfit ran up to them. The three looked at each other.

"Umm…do we…know you?"

"Oh come on man! I'm hurt, I really am. It's me! Tidus!"

(BGM: Final Fantasy X – Bisaido Island)

Their eyes widened comically.

"Oh…"

"My…"

"God…"

"Oh come on guys, I know I look good, but not _that _good."

They turned to each other and Sora spoke. "Yep, that's definitely Tidus."

"HEY!"

"Huh?"

Three women ran up to Tidus. The one on the right was blonde and wore little more than a bikini and a brown skirt, and for some reason a long orange scarf with yellow 'tails'. The one on the left had short dark silver hair, it looked almost black and wore a completely black outfit consisting of a pair of tight shorts, nearly thigh length leggings and a pair of black boots. Not to mention the extremely frigid look in her eyes.

The middle one had short brown hair which seemed to be negated by the ridiculously long ponytail down her back. She wore a white top that looked like someone took a knife to the center and split it in two, and then decided to bind the two halves together with a strange black symbol. Shorts so small it makes one question why she bothered wearing pants in the first place, black boots laced with white strings and a strange, almost wing like skirt flowing down her left leg.

Sora blinked. _Now why do they look so familiar…?_

"Why'd you run off like that?!"

"Ahh, sorry you three…I just saw some old friends of mine."

"Old friends?"

"Ladies, I'd like you to meet my childhood friends, Sora, Riku and Kairi."

All three women blinked and spoke at the same time.

"_**SORA?!"**_

"You mean the kid from Hollow Bastion?!"

"THAT's why you look so familiar! You three were those weird fairy girls who tried to hit me up for all my items!"

The middle one pouted, putting her hands on her hips.

"Hey, you're the one that lied to us in the first place about Leon having treasure!"

"No _Donald _lied to you. He's a slippery one. I just didn't agree or disagree with what he was saying, cause honestly I didn't know either way."

"Wait, so you've all met?"

Riku shook his head. "Sora's the one who met those three. I was…somewhere else…and Kairi was back on the island."

"Oh yeah, I meant to thank you for opening that hole in Radiant Garden."

"Ahh…hole? Wait, that actually led somewhere?"

"Yep. Boatload of caverns. And a room that was used by Organization Thirteen. It was a good place to train…and would have been a bit more useful had most of the Organization members not been dead already…"

The group began walking back the way Tidus and the others came.

"So guys, what's been going on since I've been here?"

"Well…"

Suddenly Rikku called out.

(BGM: FFX – Normal Battle)

"Aaah…Guys?"

"Rikku, what's wrong?"

"Look behind you!"

They all turned to where Rikku was pointing. Flying right at them was a gigantic birdlike creature. Beneath it were three wolf like creatures.

Before Tidus or the girls could draw their weapons, Sora, Kairi, and Riku's Keyblades all flashed into existence.

"Sora! You take the flier! Kairi and I'll handle the wolves!"

Sora nodded.

"Go!"

The three charged. Sora leapt into the air with a backwards flip, and then twisted his body, somehow jumping a second time. He slammed Fenrir right between the bird's eyes, and used the rebound to flip over it. Spinning horizontally, he repeatedly sliced into the creature's back. He started flipping, holding his Keyblade in front of him as his body curled up into a ball, again, repeatedly cutting into the enemy.

"Back off!"

He slashed once, diagonally down from right to left, again, diagonally down from left to right, spun and slashed horizontally from right to left and after the first rotation, righted himself while flipping his Keyblade around backwards to gather energy and then did a final full body overhead swing which sliced the beast in two.

Riku jumped and slammed the point of his Keyblade into the center wolf's face, causing it to yelp in pain. He then spun backwards and kicked it into the air, where he launched his weapon and it pierced the monster, ending it.

Kairi bashed her Keyblade into the face of the left most wolf. Ducking as the right one tried to leap at her. She slammed her weapon into its side, a blow strong enough to shatter its ribcage, thus ending it. She flipped the blade around in her hand and held it like a dagger, striking the third underneath its maw, knocking it into the air where Riku caught his own Keyblade and delivered a series of rapid slashes to its body. Finally Sora came down, still flipping and slammed his own weapon into it, ending the monster. All four beasts vanished in a wave of glowing spheres with shimmering multicolored wisps of energy trailing after them.

The three of them panted heavily. Kairi was first to ask. "Were those…Heartless?"

Paine piped up. "Fiends." The three Keyblade wielders turned to her.

"They're the souls of the Unsent, their rage, hatred and envy of the living condensing their spiritual energy into the form of monsters. Unlike the Heartless, they're native to this world and this world alone."

"Those are some crazy weapons you have there…"

"Keyblades."

"Huh? What's a…Key…blade?"

Before anyone could answer, Kairi's Keyblade began glowing.

(BGM FFX – Song of Prayer)

"What the-

The Keyblade began floating in the air. Suddenly the world seemed to distort as everyone's color perception inverted. The Keyblade released a shockwave of power, knocking everyone on their backs. It began spinning in place as the souls of the defeated monsters; the few hundred pyreflies began spiraling towards the glowing weapon. There was a blinding flash.

Everyone uncovered their eyes as a glowing white orb floated down to Kairi. She reached up and placed her hand in the center. The orb extended and formed a shape. The white light surrounding the shape vanished in a wave of glowing particles. In her hands sat a brand new Keyblade.

Its form was much like the Oblivion. Only instead of black and dark blue, the blade portion was white with strange symbols in sky blue along it. The crest of the keyblade was the unusual "J" symbol that was on the brown haired woman's, Yuna's shirt, and worn around Tidus' neck. The hand guard was white, as was the handle. The chain reached down and held the "J" symbol.

"Was that…supposed to happen?"

"Kairi! You got your first Keychain!"

"Keychain?"

"Yeah, the thing that allows you to change the form and powers of your Keyblade!"

"It's…lighter…and thinner too…"

"Looks like a holy version of your Oblivion."

"It does…"

"That was _crazy!_"

"Way cool!"

"Impressive."

"So guys, how about that explanation."

"Sure thing."

"Let's head to the town."

_**Kairi…we can't stay too much longer. **__Why not? __**Normally, when he got a Keychain, Sora moved on to the next world. **__But…I haven't seen Tidus in years! __**I know, I'm not saying now, but we should go soon. **__Where? We don't really have anything that can get us off the world…_

_**I can open a Dark Corridor…but only to Twilight Town…it's the only place I know how to reach. Besides, there's someone in Twilight Town who can contact King Mickey. We need to speak with him. **__Alright…just…let us spend some time with Tidus before we leave ok?_

_**Alright…but be careful…I have a bad feeling…**_

* * *

And so, another chapter is complete. I'd have continued, but I think it's a decent place to leave off. Plus, it would be annoying to jump straight to the next event…which will be big. Kairi received her first Keychain…and she's having strange dreams…

Next chapter, Spira ends, but with a bang! Kairi finds something new about herself, and everyone learns what happened after the last fight with Xemnas! Emotions run high as we lead into the next two worlds!

D&S Master: Next chapter will show an interesting side effect of Kairi sharing a body with an active spirit. I'm glad you don't mind the end of Destiny Islands too…I was afraid people would hate that.

Plot, Plot, and MORE Plot next chapter!


	4. Unlocking

(BGM: Kingdom Hearts II – Vim and Vigor)

**What…? Where am I?**

"Fucking bastards! DIE ALREADY!"

A red-haired girl floated above a scene of battle. A young man wearing a black cloak battled against horrid grotesque creatures.

**Zombies?!**

She watched as he was surrounded.

**Look out!**

"Can't use fire…doesn't work like in games…don't have very good control over Light…Dark would just help them…so…let's try…"

He raised his fist in the air, and it was surrounded by a golden yellow glow…

"**Technique: Gaia Crush!"**

He slammed his fist into the ground. A wave of golden energy washed over the area. Suddenly, massive spikes of rock erupted from beneath the ground, impaling the creatures. The rocks exploded, taking with them a mass amount of the beings.

"Damn, not enough…"

**Hey…I think I recognize that guy…**

He drew his sword. Holding it in front of him, he waved his empty palm over it, causing it to alight with glowing blue energy.

"…their points are difficult to see as well…damn lines are nearly impossible to see…so I gotta wing it…"

He raced forward, slicing one creature's arm off, and then spinning to lob the head off another. The one who's head he sliced off disintegrated.

"Well, that's good to know."

He flipped his sword around backward in his hand and then thrust it forward into the face of another creature. One raised its own sword, a Katana, behind him, only to get kicked away and then cut vertically in two.

**Wait…that one is…ABOVE YOU!**

"What?"

Confused, he looked up, only to leap away as a spiked club slammed down where he once stood. He began muttering to himself.

"A voice…a familiar one…"

**It's coming again!**

He looked up to see a massive creature. Its body was big, round but looked like it was covered in some sort of hardened material. Its 'skin' was dark grey, and it held a massive spiked club in its hands.

"Damn you're ugly! Who's ass did YOU crawl out of?"

The creature roared at him and swung its club, the speed surprising both the warrior, and the viewer. However…

"Gruh?"

With a metallic 'shing,' the warrior's sword sliced through the club like it was nothing. The beast lifted its weapon, confused.

"Idiot, never take your eyes off your opponent!"

The beast looked up only to roar in pain as one of its arms was cleanly sliced in two. It clutched the stump as it stomped around wildly. Suddenly it fell forward as one of its legs was sliced through as well. The warrior caught its head in his free hand…

"Say goodnight…"

His hand began glowing red.

"**Reppashou!"**

A small explosion of energy erupted from the boy's palm, crushing the creature's skull, and causing it to vanish into particles.

"Damn…that was harder than it should have been…"

He looked around, searching for any more targets.

"I REALLY need to get to that Light wielder…"

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter III: Unlocking the Heart**

(BGM: FFX – Bisaido Island)

"Whoa, you don't look so good Kairi…"

Indeed, the girl entered the hut with her hair frazzled and messed up, her clothes wrinkled and just generally looking tired.

"I didn't…get much sleep last night…that headache came back."

The day before, not long after Kairi got her keychain, she began getting a small headache. Originally it was nothing terrible and faded away, but a few times during the evening, it returned, each time more powerful than the last, with the biggest one happening just before that strange dream.

"Maybe we should stay here a bit Kai, you look beat."

"No! No…I'm fine…we should just get going, we need to find out what's going on, how we ended up here, right Riku?"

"Yeah…but, I also agree with Sora…for once. You do look like you could use more sleep."

"I'll take a nap after Twilight Town, alright?"

"Fine…that good with you Sora?"

"I guess…it's better than nothing."

"Wow man, you really did grow up. Back in the day you'd have pushed Kairi into staying ya?"

Sora rubbed the back of his head embarrassed.

"Yeah well…can't stay a kid all the time. Besides, if Kairi says she's good to go, then she's good to go. Not to mention I also really wanna get back to Twilight Town."

"You sure you don't just want to see Olette again?"

"Well it would be nice to see those three again, but why'd you single her out like that Kai? Not even Roxas liked her like that."

"Who knows?"

Sora and Riku just stared. She stared back, unblinking. Finally Sora blinked, then Riku. Kairi got a triumphant smile on her face.

"I win!"

"Wait…what?"

"I win."

"Win…wait we were…but you…agh, now MY head hurts!"

Everyone laughed at Sora's plight.

* * *

"Damn…now where am I?"

Floating in a glowing orb of light stood the young man, garbed in a black cloak. Around him was a see of lights, the sea of stars known as Space. He looked around, trying to figure out where to go.

"Alright…if each of these stars represents a world…"

Unknown to him, not far from him rest the world of Twilight Town.

"Then…the pull I'm feeling is coming from…that way…"

He turned slightly to his right.

"And…it's straight ahead. So…"

The world around him inverted colors as space distorted. Suddenly he shot like a rocket towards where the strange feeling was originating from.

* * *

(BGM: KHII Complete – The Afternoon Streets)

"Hey guys…did you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"That weird cold…like something just happened…"

"Olette I think you're going nuts."

"Now now Hayner, after seeing all the stuff we've seen, Olette getting odd feelings isn't that surprising."

"I guess you're right, I mean, after helping Sora and the King out, stuff started calming down around here I guess. I wonder why he told us that though…"

"Now, Olette, what did it feel like?"

"I'm not sure…like something…powerful was just nearby…and it wa-

She shuddered again.

"Ok, I didn't feel that, but I saw you did, what happened?"

"I'm…not sure…"

Suddenly, right on the brick wall, a swirling ring of black appeared.

"Oh crap not again…"

But instead of spilling out anyone with dark intentions, Riku and Sora flew out of it, landing flat on their faces.

"Sora!"

Kairi stepped out as well, and the gateway swirled shut behind her.

"Kairi!"

"Hey guys!"

"Who's your friend?"

"This? This is Riku. Riku, meet Hayner, Pence and Olette. They were the three who helped us get to the Organization's stronghold."

"And the same three Roxas was friends with in the Other Twilight Town."

"Right…"

Pence piped up. "Oh yeah! Sora, King Mickey was here looking for you!"

"He was? What did he-

Suddenly Kairi dropped to the ground, clutching her forehead.

"Ugh…"

"Kairi! Hey, are you ok?"

She glared at him. "What do you _think _Sora? Do I LOOK ok? This…stupid headache is back…"

The other three looked nervous.

"What's going on?"

Riku explained.

"After Xemnas came back and attacked our world, someone showed up and…I guess Possessed Kairi. Whoever it was, used her body to completely decimate Xemnas, and did something that caused us to show up in a completely different world. In that world, Kairi got her first Keychain, and not long after, the headaches started."

"Keychain?"

Sora spoke. "It's like a power up for the Keyblade. It's something that's created from the energy of the world we're on, and turns it into a different form of Keyblade. Some make magic stronger, others double the power of our defenses or items, and some just make US stronger. It all depends on the keychain."

Kairi stood up slowly. "It also changes the Keyblade's form. Instead of looking like a giant key, it looks more like a weapon."

"You feeling better Kai?"

"Yeah…sorry I snapped at you Sora…these things are just…really painful…anyway, what did the King say?"

"He said that if we saw Sora, to tell him that there's a Gummy Ship over at Yen Sid's place, and to head for Disney Castle as soon as you can."

"Wow, you remembered all that Olette?"

"Of course, I wasn't about to forget it."

"Thanks guys, we should probably head out right away then."

"Will you come back? I'd like to know more about this…Roxas…"

"Of course. We'll tell you all about him after we see the King."

"Alright, take care guys."

They exchanged goodbyes, not noticing that the entire time, Kairi's eyes were averted.

_Why…were they covered in scribbles? It was only for a few moments…but it hurt my head even more…_

_**Kairi…**_

* * *

(BGM: KHII Complete – Magical Mystery)

"This…is Yen Sid's place?"

"Yeah. We should probably head inside, if he's there, I wanna ask him about Kairi's headaches."

"Wait, how would he be able to help?"

"He trained the King, he might know some sort of magic that could help."

The group began climbing the tower.

"Wow…this place is amazing…"

"Yeah it does look pretty cool."

"Look how high we are!"

"This is the last staircase. Yen Sid's room is through here."

They entered the room…but nobody was there.

"Strange…"

"Hey, Sora, here's a note."

"Sora, my apologies for not being around when you arrive, I had pressing matters to deal with. The gummy ship is right behind the tower, just whistle and it will rise to the window to let you board. I believe you already know the way to the castle, so I opted not to bother trying to program the auto-pilot…that, and the King told me how much you enjoyed flying that contraption."

"You can pilot?"

"Pretty well, only crashed once, and that was only cause Donald and I were fighting over the controls."

"There's more."

"You must see the king immediately, a powerful force has awakened and threatens the stability of the worlds. The king knows more of this subject than I do. Be safe. Yen Sid."

"Right then, looks like we're heading for Disney Castle."

Kairi walked over to the window and whistled. In front of her a strange looking object appeared. "This is a gummy ship?"

"Yep, good ol' Tiamat."

"You gave it the name of our boat?"

"Why not? You won that race so I named the ship."

"We should go guys, the king is waiting."

"Yeah."

The group boarded the black and grey ship that looked like a flying fortress, and took to the sky.

As they left the Aura of Twilight Town behind, Kairi suddenly cluched her head with both hands.

"AAAHHH!"

(BGM: KHII Complete – Tension Rising)

"Kairi? Is it another headache?"

A loud ringing noise was circulating through her mind.

"Make it stop…please…make it stop…"

Suddenly the entire world shifted colors.

"Whoa!"

"What was that?!"

Kairi's Keyblade appeared in front of her. The ringing noise grew. The Keyblade began spinning in place, suddenly vanishing and re-appearing outside the ship. Kairi shuddered and screamed again. The Keyblade rocketed forward and then slammed into what seemed like empty space. Kairi's eyes snapped open as it did so. She saw a gigantic black dot, right where the Keyblade stopped. From the dot grew smaller lines. Suddenly the dot shattered like glass, revealing a rip in space.

The ship began to get pulled towards the strange distortion.

"Sora!"

"I'm trying! It won't respond!"

The world shifted colors again. When the world returned to normal, the ship rocketed forward, through the strange rip. Behind them, the rip slowly closed, space returning to normal, the cycle being completed.

* * *

"Ugh…what…happened?"

"You alright Kai?"

"Ow…my head…"

"You passed out."

"I…did?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know where we are?"

"No…but Sora's prepping the ship for landing. He says it taxed all the systems, and needs to shut down for a little bit. Whatever that was, it put us nowhere near Disney Castle."

"We're ready."

Kairi got up. The ringing noise was gone, but a small headache remained. She stumbled for a moment, but righted herself and shook her head. The three activated the teleporter and in a flash of light, were gone.

* * *

(BGM: Valkyrie Profile 2 – Spinning the Thread of Creation)

"Where…are we?"

"I don't know, but this place is HUGE…"

Suddenly a voice spoke out.

"What's this? New Einherjar?"

"Einherjar? What's that?"

Suddenly the group was surrounded by armor clad warriors drawing their weapons.

"Enough!"

A single woman walked down a large staircase. She was clad in dark purple, nearly black armor. A white skirt hung down her legs, as a broadsword in its sheath rested on her left hip. Reddish-brown eyes stared at the group.

"Who are you? And how have you mortals come to reach Valhalla?"

"Valhalla?"

"Sora, it must be the name of this world."

"Ahh, right."

He turned to the woman, about to speak. She held up her hand.

"No, do not speak now. Come with me, I shall let Lord Odin deal with you."

The group looked at each other, unceartain. Sora then started walking after the woman. Kairi and Riku followed. A few of the warriors followed behind, unsure.

(**Throne Room)**

The armored woman stopped at the feet of a silver haired man.

"My Lord Odin, I have found these mortals trespassing on this land."

"Rise Hrist, I shall speak with them. Tell me, who are you, and how have you come to Valhalla?"

Riku and Kairi looked to Sora.

"My name is Sora. These are my friends, Riku and Kairi. Our ship got messed up when we got pulled through a rip in space and we arrived here. We came down to take a look around while the ship repairs itself."

The man's eyes narrowed. "I know of no ship of this world that would have such problems."

"We aren't from this world."

The moment Sora said that, the one called Hrist drew her blade. Moments after, three Keyblades flashed into existence. Odin's eyes widened as he understood.

"Hold. Replace thy weapon Hrist, these three are not to be harmed."

"Yes…Lord Odin."

"I see you wield the legendary Keyblades, weapons said capable of bringing entire worlds to their knees."

Riku spoke. "It is not our intention to take this world, or any other. We protect the worlds from the Heartless and Nobodies."

"Yes…vile creatures born from the darkness within the souls of living beings, and the beings spawned from those without them. Then I presume the ship you spoke of is a Gummy Ship, correct?"

The group relaxed their stances. "Yes."

A blonde haired woman, clad in a skintight green outfit with a strange hat that looked like a green football, spoke up.

"Lord Odin…I haven't heard of such things…"

"Few of this world have. It is a legend passed down through the Gods themselves. It would seem that legend is real."

Suddenly Kairi dropped to her knees. The ringing noise grew louder.

"Kairi!"

(BGM: Kingdom Hearts Complete – Another Side)

A sphere of darkness appeared between the two groups. Odin sat up, immediately alert. The sphere collapsed to reveal a tan skinned young man with long black hair wearing a black cloak. Kairi lifted her head.

"It's…him…"

"This…is the place?"

He looked around.

"Who are you?!"

He stayed silent, eyes locking onto Hrist, or more likely, Hrist's chest. She noted where his gaze was and glared, drawing her blade.

"So it's here…"

A flash of light, and he was holding a familiar weapon.

"Is that…the Oblivion?!"

Indeed it was, the Oblivion Keyblade was being held by this unknown man. He spoke.

"You…you hold the one that can help me…"

Hrist stared, blade level. "What are you talking about?!"

"A powerful being…a warrior of Light…" He cluched his own head. Both he and Kairi spoke at the same time.

"…Alicia…"

Odin immediately stood. Hrist stepped back in shock.

"You hold her captive…her soul split between the three sisters…Lenneth…Hrist…Silmeria…"

"How do you-

"She calls to me…her soul…her Light…I shall restore her to these worlds…her power is needed…"

"Alicia's soul is no more! It faded when she gave her very existence up to defeat the Mage, Lezard Valeth!"

"No…her soul was merely absorbed…merged with those of the three Valkyrie…split into three fragments, each one boosting the strength of the three sisters…"

The tip of the Oblivion glowed white.

"I shall release her."

Before anyone could react, the Keyblade fired a beam of light directly into the chest of Hrist. She screamed in pain as she felt the purifying beam grasping at her very soul, sliding the piece that was Alicia away from her. Suddenly, the images of a silver-blue haired maiden, and a blonde haired maiden appeared next to her, both screaming in pain as well.

"Lady Hrist!"

One of the Einherjar raced towards the man in black. Kairi screamed out.

"STOP!"

The armored woman raised her sword, only to have it sliced through by the man's own. From nowhere, the man pulled a thin broadsword out and cut through the attacker's blade.

"Don't get in my way…"

Kairi's headache doubled as the man's eyes flared silver. He turned his body and swept his blade through the woman's armor. The armor split in half, and then shattered like glass, stunning everyone in the room. Suddenly he slammed his blade into her forehead. The keyblade wielders gasped as the woman's body was suddenly ripped to shreds from the point he stabbed. No blood, she just exploded into particles.

Odin's eyes widened further as he realized the power this 'mortal' wielded. "The eyes of the Death God…"

The beam faded as three glowing orbs of silver floated from the three women. The two images behind Hrist solidified and all three fell to the ground. The three orbs fused into one, which was then suddenly sealed into a crystal that floated into the man's free hand.

Immediately, the woman in green attacked.

"You bastard!"

"Freya! Stop!"

She launched a massive sphere of energy at the man. He simply blinked, and vanished in a ripple of air. The attack passed through where he once stood, directly on course for the three Keyblade wielders.

The ringing noise became a shrill screech as her headache reached a peak of intensity like never before. Her body seemed to move on its own as she felt herself stand. The next thing she felt, was the headache suddenly stopping, along with the screeching noise as she felt a wave of energy pass through her.

The cycle was complete.

She saw the giant energy orb in front of her. Her keyblade flashed into existence. Thin black lines suddenly engulfed the orb. She brought her weapon up, and swung it down, cutting through a single vertical line in the center of the orb. The orb split in two, the two halves passing by harmlessly, and then exploded behind them.

Sora and Riku stared at the girl.

"You…have them as well?"

Kairi was panting. "Have…what?"

"The eyes of the Death God…the ability to see the End."

"It must have been him…he must have given me this power…that's…why the headaches happened. We're connected…"

"What do you mean Kairi?"

"When he took over my body…we spoke. He said he's had this power for a long time…the power to destroy anything…his eyes can see the fault lines of existence…and the points they originate from…I guess…when he took over my body…since he was forcing his power through my eyes…he must have given me that power…"

"Lord Odin! The Valkyrie!"

They all turned to see the three maidens slowly rise. "What…happened?"

"We are…separate again?"

Suddenly, Kairi's keyblade began to glow. It floated in the air in front of the two groups. Lingering energy from when Hrist was attacked flew off the three warrior maidens and into the glowing form of the keyblade.

"Inevitable Sin…it's…changing again?"

Energy swirled around the blade, and then burst, revealing its new form.

The keyblade now looked like a spear.

"…that looks like the Lance of the Nibelung…the symbol of the Valkyrie…"

The hilt was the same, a pale grey now, along with the hand guard. The blade itself was now in the shape of a lance. On the end was a chain connected to a tiny silver helmet, one that looked exactly like what the three Warrior Maidens wore.

"Valkyrie…Profile…"

She held it in her hand. She made a few practice swings. "It's still light…just the way I like it."

"Two Keychains in two days! That's awesome Kairi!"

"Impressive…so that is a Keychain…"

Kairi bowed.

"Apologies, Lord Odin, but we should be going now. The ship should be ready, and King Mickey awaits us."

"Indeed. Though your presence has brought an unfortunate event, you are welcome to return should you need it."

"Thank you…but…I have…one question."

"I will hear it."

"Who is Alicia?"

The blonde one, Silmeria answered.

"Alicia was…the princess of Dipan, a kingdom on Midgard, the world of Mortals. The Soverign's Rite, a ritual used to bring a Valkyrie's soul into another body forced my soul inside Alicia's body, where we were supposed to be one being…but…we were two. My presence caused her much turmoil and many problems…but she bore them with dignity and grace. We were…separated, forcefully. After that, she became a powerful warrior of her own right, managing to even become a psudo-Valkyrie herself."

She took a breath and then continued.

"Alicia was the one who understood Lezard Valeth's power, and willingly gave up her own existence to allow us the power to defeat him…her sacrifice led to his defeat."

"I see…why would he want her though…"

"He mentioned a Light Warrior…maybe he knows something we don't?"

Kairi shook her head. "Anyway, thank you. We will be going now."

The groups said their goodbyes and the Keyblade Wielders left.

"Valkyries."

The three kneeled.

"We must prepare. If the Keyblade has become active again, then there is something troubling the worlds. I shall temporarily abolish the Rule of One. The three of you, collect powerful Einherjar, I sense…there will be conflict soon…"

* * *

Damn…this is a long one. A lot of stuff happens here. Ok, if you've played Valkyrie Profile at all, just imagine that bigass spear they throw at the end of Nibelung Valesti as a keyblade, that's Kairi's new keychain.

If you haven't, go to You Tube and look up Valkyrie Profile 2 Soul Crushes. That should get them for ya.

D&S Master: Yep, a Holy version of Oblivion…though with the name Inevitable Sin…as for your other questions…hopefully they've been answered with this chapter.

RockCityRoadStar: I'm gonna call you RCRS…cause fuck that's a big name. I'm glad you enjoyed my rants. I wanted people to know where I stood on those characters. And yes, he IS hilarious. Not that evil really, boosts my reviews number, and its nice to hear from a fellow author…well…I'd be the author, you'd be the authoress ne? I hope you like this one.


	5. Light

(BGM: Chrono Cross – People Seized with Life)

The group entered the castle, only to find it in horrible condition. The once pristine walls were covered in slashes, scorch marks littered the ceiling and floors, entire sections were blown out and turned to rubble. And then…there was him…

"KING MICKEY!"

The battered mouse was unconscious, laying in the lap of the Queen.

"Queen Minnie, what happened here?"

"I…I can't be certain. But what I do know is a man came. He came seeking what he called a Fragment of Light. He…he did this to Mickey…to the castle.

"That guy again…"

"Mickey said, he was the one that destroyed your world."

Sora wasn't too phased by that. "No problem, we'll just defeat him and it'll come back."

Minnie shook her head sadly. "No Sora…your world…it wasn't consumed by Darkness like last time…it has truly been completely eradicated. Wiped from the face of the universe. It is because of this, that Mickey went to Twilight Town, hoping to run into you. There is…no return for that world…I am truly sorry."

Kairi's heart was broken. "But…our parents…"

"Our friends…"

"All of them…gone?"

"You are the sole survivors of Destiny Islands…"

"He'll pay for that…"

Kairi wasn't so certain, but she nodded anyway.

"Chip and Dale said they saw him steal a ship and head for Twilight Town. You might be able to catch him if you hurry…I don't know what he'll do with that piece of the Cornerstone…"

"He took a piece of the Cornerstone?!"

"Yes…he claimed it was what he originally came for, a Fragment of Light."

"We'll get it back your Majesty."

"Queen Minnie…where were Donald and Goofy?"

"It would seem he knocked them unconscious before coming…they were completely unharmed though…so maybe he cast a sleeping spell…"

"Either way, he's gonna answer for what he's done."

"We'll head out now."

"Be careful! He's very dangerous!"

"We know…we've seen him in action…he's possessed Kairi before. And when he did, he completely kicked Xemnas' butt without even breaking a sweat."

"When the King wakes up, tell him we might need his help."

She shook her head. "He can't…that man…he shattered the King's Keyblade."

"WHAT?!"

"He broke a Keyblade?!"

Riku was definitely surprised. "I didn't know that was possible…"

"It must have been his eyes…they allow him to cut through nearly anything."

"We definitely have to go now! Who knows what he'll do to Twilight Town!"

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter IV: Return of the Light**

**(Twilight Town)**

In front of him stood a white object.

"Damn thing looks like a flower…and he was asleep in this thing for a year? Man…if he doesn't bang that Kairi chick…"

The black haired warrior pressed a few buttons on a nearby console. The strange object opened up, much like a blooming flower.

"Yep…definitely made by a girl. And not one of them tough girls either…one of them girly girls."

He placed the crystal containing Alicia's soul in the pod, along with the piece of the Cornerstone of Light. He made a humming noise in his throat as he tapped a few more keys.

"Now…for the last bit…"

A keyblade flashed into existence in front of him. He held it tightly and made his wish. A beam of light shot from the keyblade and into the pod. With his free hand, he typed in a few more commands, and everything started.

"Soon…"

Sora, Riku and Kairi all raced down the streets. With them were Hayner Pence and Olette. The six teens ran towards the old mansion, which is where the Twilight Town group saw the strange dark skinned man heading. They burst into the clearing just as an earthquake struck.

* * *

(BGM: Chrono Trigger – Schala's Theme)

Floating in front of him stood the naked form of a blonde haired young woman.

_Look away…LOOK AWAY!_

Resisting the natural urge to look her over, he opened the pod as her eyes fluttered.

"Wh-where…am I?"

"You are currently naked, in the basement of a mansion in the world called Twilight Town."

She shivered as her bare feet touched the ground. She looked down at herself, and indeed, she was naked. She flushed a deep crimson as a handful of clothes was thrust in her face. She pulled back slightly, and looked to the person the hand was connected to.

The young warrior was looking away from her, as to preserve her modesty.

"They aren't what you're used to, but it's something. Please, just put it on before I can no longer resist the urge to stare."

She nodded, not that he saw, and grabbed the clothes out of his hand. As she put them on she noticed the interesting look they gave her. It consisted of a black shirt with an image of a dragon curled around a gigantic sword on the front, a black leather vest, a set of snow white undergarments (to which she blushed again) and a simple black skirt. White nearly thigh length socks, and a pair of black boots.

"There's a lot of black in it…"

"Yeah well…reflex…black and red are my favorite two colors so…yeah."

"It's alright."

He pulled out a mirror.

"Ahh…thanks."

She adjusted herself in the reflection. "Ok, you can turn around now."

He did so and whistled. "Niiiiice. I guess I picked pretty well."

"I feel like I'm missing something though…"

"A crown maybe?"

She shot him a look that screamed "idiot."

"No…I haven't worn a crown in years…oh, my sword! Gods I feel naked without it."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Do…try not to use the word naked in a sentence referring to yourself…my male instincts are kicking my own ass at not looking when I had a chance…I'd rather not be reminded."

She leveled her eyes with his. "I'd say it shows a sign of restraint, and character."

"It does. But it also means I gave up the chance to see a really cute girl naked. Now think of that from a male point of view. That's worth a punch in the back of the head for sheer stupidity."

She shook her head. "I guess you have a point…uhh…whoever you are."

"'tis been so long I can scarcely remember my true name…so for now, just call me Zero."

"Very well, Sir Zero. I…am in your debt."

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"…Waving goodbye to Rufus…after Lezard was defeated."

"I'll fill you in later then. For the moment, what is important is this. Your battle was successful. The two timelines somehow converged into one, resetting to before Odin was captured. Everyone important, the three Valkyrie, Freya, and Odin himself all recalled the events of the old timeline. The Creator, Lenneth, vanished into the either, her power separating between the three Valkyrie, while they all shared a small fragment of your soul. Odin, understanding now what it was that caused such events to take place, stopped being such a dickwad."

Alicia giggled. "That certainly is an accurate description of him."

"Indeed. Your body and soul was used as a template container for the Valkyrie. No longer were they incarnated into human bodies, for they were linked by a psychic bond that filled them in on the events of their sister's lives. This was something Odin could not break or weaken, not that he even tried. Many decades have passed. Your friend Rufus has long since passed, his existence merging with Odin's to keep Odin in check. Brahms now resides in a castle that shifts planes every night into the human world, and during the day, back into the underworld. Arngrim, being too badass for Valhalla at the time, was sent back to the mortal realm to create a line that would guard the Dragon Orb. He was given a pendant that acts like Rufus' ring, keeping him in his eternal youth, though at any time it seems he is free to remove it and die peacefully."

Alicia teared up when he mentioned Rufus' demise. "I am sorry for your loss Lady Alicia."

"We…weren't exactly in a relationship…but the spark was beginning to grow…"

"At least you were able to say goodbye, though not much of one, it would seem it gave him the courage to attempt to become the new ruler of Valhalla…but then the timeline decided to fix itself, and merge his soul with Odin's so that Odin would not make the same mistakes again."

"I understand…"

"If you need to-

She jumped in his arms and began sobbing. The young man simply sighed and made small spiraling motions on her back. _Two orphans of the Universe…neither of us holding anyone we truly hold dear left. Well…at least she still has Silmeria…_

"There is…one more thing." She pulled away, fixed herself and stared with red-rimmed eyes at him. "In my quest to return you to the world of the living…I err…kinda ended up splitting the souls of the Valkyrie apart again…so now they're all stuck in their own bodies…"

"So Silmeria is…"

"As if you Materialized her yourself, all over again."

"Thank you…Zero…that calms my heart to hear it."

"I thought it would. Anyway, there is a reason why you have been returned by my hand."

"I thought as much."

"Your world…is only one of many. Throughout this universe there are thousands, if not millions of worlds, each peacefully resting in their own space. All of them have at least one faint link to another, creating a web of interconnected worlds. Each one separate, but yet still affected by the events on their sister planets. There is a force of Darkness known as the Heartless that exists in the shadows of each world. The Heartless are spawned by the darkness in the hearts of mortals. When a mortal is slain with a pre-requisite amount of darkness in their heart at the time of their death, their heart and body separate, and the heart becomes engulfed with darkness, turning them into a Heartless. If the mortal was a particularly strong willed one, the body left behind mutates into what is called a Nobody. I don't know who the hell named these things cause honestly I think that's freaking reversed."

"It does sound rather strange."

"The heartless seek the Core or Heart of worlds, engulf it in darkness and move on. They are a parasite, but unfortunately as Darkness is eternal so are they. Their forces have been considerably weakened by those called Keyblade Bearers."

"I've never heard of such a thing."

"I'll show you later. And whatever you think it is, you're right. Anyway, My world was recently taken over by the Heartless. I'm the sole survivor…as far as I know. However, I was kinda…stuck. For years, I was trapped in what is known as a Dark Corridor. Remember how I said the worlds were linked?"

"Yes. A phantom bond connecting certain worlds, creating an interlocked web in the universe."

"You're good. Well, Dark Corridors are the Shadows of those connections. Lanes of the Dark Realm that inter connect the worlds. They can be opened by those of Dark and Light alignment, but if their user is weak willed, the sheer pressure of the Darkness will instantly turn them into a Heartless. For years I was trapped in the Dark Corridor, my body's energy spent, my life slowly being drained…when a Man appeared. He was the remains of a powerful Nobody called Xemnas. I don't know how he did it, but somehow he stole my body and claimed it as his own, twisting its form into his. Reduced to a soul I was helpless but to watch as he gathered the remaining energies of his Organization. For you see, Xemnas was one of Thirteen powerful Nobodies that sought to reclaim their hearts. This was an impossibility for them, but they had ambition."

"Much like how we attempted to get back the Dragon Orb…"

"Somewhat like that. Only since they have no hearts themselves, they have no morals, no true emotions. They only have the memories of what it's like to have emotions, and that void in their souls constantly nags at them to reclaim their hearts. Well, he gathered their powers and left. Now, not to sound like I'm bragging or anything, but I like to believe I'm a rather powerful being. I wasn't going to take that lying down."

"You followed him, and defeated him, right?"

"Yeah…though since I was just a spirit, I had to inhabit the body of one of the newly crowned Keybearers. Though it did answer my question as to what it's like being a girl."

"You, a girl?"

"Hey, her mind was the weakest one there. She was the most open to possession."

"Undead…"

"So were you."

"You have a point. Continue."

"Well…I kinda made a mistake. You see, I was born with an ability that allows me to see what others can't…more specifically the fault lines of existence, and the points they're connected to."

Alicia gasped. "The Eyes of the Death God!"

"Knowledge from Silmeria?"

"Yes…it was something she had heard of while she was active…and had me research it. Eyes that see the death of all things, living and non…"

"Yes. Well, since he was basically a parasite in my body, I used her keyblade to pierce one of the points…and it made things go boom."

She giggled again at the way he said it. "But…how was that a mistake?"

"I didn't take into account that where we were battling…was the very Heart of their world. The influx of energy from such a powerful being suddenly being erased from existence caused a massive backlash that destroyed that world…"

Alicia gasped again, this time in horror.

"Yeah…I unintentionally caused the death of an entire world…I swear if I had realized earlier how much energy he had within him…I would have taken him away from the heart…"

"There's more isn't there?"

"Yes…and it's the reason I was compelled to bring you back. There are Heartless, and there are Nobodies…but now…something new has appeared. I don't know what they are…hell they look like zombies with armor and swords…but they're kinda stupid really. But there's a lot of them. And judging from their movements, they want to _destroy _worlds, not just engulf them in darkness."

"And you need my help to slay them?"

"One of the few weaknesses of these Eyes is that if you don't understand what it is you are trying to kill, it is difficult to see their points. These are creatures unlike any other I have encountered. Elements work well, excluding fire, but even then, it takes a while. Dark energy seems to charge them, and yet weaken them at the same time…so I realized I needed someone who held Light in their heart…and I was brought to find you."

"So you brought me back to help you slay them."

"In all honesty, I'd return you to your world immediately, but if I did…when they ultimately attacked, your world would end up destroyed anyway. But if we can get rid of these things…"

"Then I can return in peace, and only have to worry about problems pertaining to my world. I understand. I don't know how much use I'll be though…I don't have a weapon…and offensive magic doesn't come easily to me…"

"You have been trained in the methods of the Valkyrie, and that is a good enough beginning. I can teach you offensive and stronger defensive magic as we go…as for a sword…"

He held out his hand and with a cloud of dark energy, a sheathed short broadsword appeared.

"I believe…this will do?"

He handed it to her. In no small amount of amazement, she pulled it out of its sheath. The blade was tinged red, with no small amount of runes covering the weapon. It seemed to glow at her touch. She gave it a few practice swings, testing its weight.

"Amazing…yes, this is perfect."

"It has served me quite well over the years…I call it Shinigami, the God Slayer. For it can pierce divinity just as well as darkness."

"Is it truly alright that I take such a valuable object?"

"It's fine. It's high time I got used to my new weapon anyway…"

With a swirl of dark energy, an unusual looking weapon appeared in his hand. Alicia's eyes widened.

"Is that…"

"A Keyblade. The Keychain connected is one of my personal equipment. This…is Decadence."

The blade looked like a normal broadsword, except for the two 'teeth' on the top of the blade, just before the tip. Blade was black, with white triangles arranged in a strange pattern in the middle. The hilt was black as well, though the hand grip was grey. The keychain looked like a biohazard symbol.

"Impressive."

"I thought so as well."

He banished the blade as Alicia secured her own to her waist. He was about to speak when he sensed something.

"Ahh…they're here…damn…can't run into them just yet. They're likely to attack first and ask questions later…"

"Who?"

"The Keybearers. I kinda…had to kick the ass of some king they know. So they're probably pissed about that. Not to mention they probably learned I destroyed their world, and knowing my luck they believe it was intentional. You've still got to get used to Shinigami, and after all the energy spent to return you, I'm in no condition to fight…so…"

He closed his eyes and with a flash of black light, an exact copy of him appeared next to him. The clone nodded and walked out of the room.

"He'll deal with them. We, on the other hand, need to get off world. I've got an idea where to go next…"

"Lead the way."

"Alright, hold on…this might feel a bit strange."

He pulled her into his arms, surprising her and making her flush a slight, and then surrounded them with dark energy, utilizing a Dark Corridor to warp them to the ship he stole.

* * *

(BGM: Kingdom Hearts – Another Side)

"Is everyone alright?"

"Man…what happened?"

"I think something unnatural caused that earthquake."

"You would be correct."

The group looked up to see the Unknown Man (Zero) in front of them.

"You!" Two Keyblades flashed into existence. Fenrir and Way to Dawn.

"Me. I know why you are here, and I shall tell you what you believe to be truth is in fact false."

"Liar! You destroyed the islands!"

"This is truth."

"Why you…you'll pay for that!"

"Sora wait!"

Sora cut straight through the man…only to have him burst into shadows. The shadows engulfed the clearing, blinding everyone present.

**

* * *

**

**Disney Castle: Castle Garden**

They watched as a black portal opened next to the large hedge that was a gateway to the castle's hangar. From it appeared the same man they just saw.

"God…damn that thing's white."

"It came from over here Donald!"

_The hell? Is that guy retarded or something?_

Donald and Goofy suddenly showed up in front of the man. He stepped back.

_A dog…and a duck…what…the…hell._

"Smells like a heartless!"

_A duck with a massive lisp. Holy hell this world is fucked up._

"Uhh…hi?"

"Goofy! You hold him off! I'll get the king!"

_That doesn't sound good for me…so I'll just…_

"_**Strong is the hold of the Lord of Dreams. Heavy doth thou eyes weigh upon you. Fall silent as the realm of slumber claims you. Now, Sleep!"**_

A ten pointed star appeared in front of the man, surrounded by rings of runes. A small wave of energy washed over the two strange beings and they dropped to the ground, dead asleep.

"Good thing I picked that one up. Sorry you two, but I'm in a hurry."

Kairi mused. "So that's how he did it…"

They continued to watch as he entered the throne room. _Fuckin ridiculously large doors…I really wanna know what the makers of this place were paid, cause it must have been GOOD._

The young man stopped as a voice called from across the room.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

He noticed a small mouse man standing in front of the throne. Images flashed in his mind as his hand raced to his forehead, eyes squinting in pain. _A secret passage…under the chair…leading to…a giant orb…_

He shook his head and spoke. "I have come for a Fragment of Light."

"Fragment of Light?"

"It is an object vital to my plans."

Mickey thought to himself. _This guy…he reeks of darkness…wait, could he be…after the Cornerstone?!_

"You…are you the one who destroyed Destiny Islands?"

_Destroyed? Agh FUCK! Don't tell me I screwed up somewhere!_

"I have recently been to the place you speak."

"Then…you're after the Cornerstone aren't you?!"

"If this 'Cornerstone' is the Fragment of Light, then yes, it is what I seek."

A keyblade flashed into Mickey's hand.

"I won't let you destroy this world as well!"

The young man held up his hands in protest. "Hold. I seek not battle. I seek only a Fragment of Light. There is no proof that-

"Be silent Spawn of Darkness! I know the ways of your kind! You lie and tell half truths to sway others! This world is mine to defend as king! You will not destroy it while I live!"

The king launched himself at the man. _Dammit now I have to fight a mouse. What the fuck is wrong with these people?!_

Mickey brought his blade across horizontally, only for Zero to hop over the king's reach. The mouse flipped over, bringing his blade towards Zero's midsection only for the man to shift out of the way. Fear and anger in his heart, the king continued to press his assault, growing more and more unsteady as the young man effortlessly evaded all of his attacks. After a few minutes, the king found an opening. Seeing this Zero mentally sighed.

_I have no choice…I have to teach this thing a lesson…_

Just as the king was about to strike home, a sudden clang rang through the area. The king's eyes widened as a keyblade was held by the young man, easily blocking the king's assault. Immediately he felt the young man's aura shift.

"My turn."

(BGM: Wild Arms Advanced 3rd – Blood, Tears and the Dried Up Wasteland)

He knocked the king's blade aside and slammed the palm of his hand into the king's face. A split second later, there was a bright red flash and the king was blasted away from the young man.

"What is it with you Light Dwellers and thinking that all of us from the Realm of Darkness seek your destruction?!"

The king recovered from the initial blow only to gasp as a giant spear of earth was rocketing for him. He leapt out of the way watching as it smashed into the throne. He turned in midair to see Zero with his fingers laced together in front of his mouth, hands folded except for his two pointer fingers, which were extended just below his lips. His eyes widened as Zero pulled his head back and then snapped it forward.

"_**Katon: Goukyakuu no Jutsu!"**_

A massive fireball flew from out of the young man's mouth, enhanced by Axel's power resting in his body. So focused was the king on not getting scorched by the massive flame, he missed Zero coughing slightly. _Fuck…gathered the energy wrong…that's gonna sting for a little bit. Gotta practice that one._

The fireball smashed into a wall horribly scarring it. The king was suddenly launched back into the air by a foot to the face. Instead of simply taking it however, Mickey took a leaf from Sora's book and tossed his keyblade like a disk at the young warrior.

"Tch…you call yourself a king…" Watching the keyblade fly towards him, Zero called forth his own. "Someone who judges without listening to reason…does not deserve to wield such Divinity!"

His eyes flared silver as small jagged lines appeared in his irises, coming from his pupil. The world in his, and Kairi's eyes became covered with random dots and scribbled lines. He swung his keyblade down in an overhead line…and sliced straight through the king's weapon. Mickey's eyes widened in horror.

"No…that's…impossible!"

He tried calling for it…but it would not come. He felt a void in his heart where the keyblade once resided. Zero's eyes returned to normal. "You…monster…"

"I'm a monster? I'm not the one who goes around attacking people because they're from darkness!" Extremely irritated, Zero appeared in front of Mickey in the blink of an eye. No magic, no teleportation. _That was…pure speed!_

A crack was heard as the young man delivered a solid uppercut to the king's jaw. He vanished again and suddenly the king lurched back, then to the left, then forward, then finally to the right. A faint flicker was all anyone could see as Zero changed directions. Zero suddenly appeared in their view, delivering a kick to Mickey's chest, twisted his body and struck again, then struck a final time with a launching kick to the face. The king went flying in an arc, falling to the ground. Suddenly things slowed. As the king's body slowly turned facing Zero upside-down, the young man vanished in a cloud of dust, instantly re-appearing in front of the king, looking at him with disdain.

After roughly three seconds of staring at the king, or at least what Zero perceived as three seconds, he pulled back and then slammed his fist forward. In reality, the young man was moving at such speeds that he was nothing more than a blur that whole time. The speed he was moving at combined with the force he placed into the blow, nearly shattered the mouse king's ribs as he was launched like a bullet into a far wall. A small trickle of blood flowed out of the mouse's mouth upon impact.

Ignoring the downed king, he moved towards the throne. It was still largely intact, despite having a giant rock slammed into it.

"I need to get me one of these…" the young warrior muttered to himself. Raising his palm, he called forth another power. He snapped his fingers and suddenly an orb of pure black formed where the throne was. After a few seconds, the orb faded…and in its place was a crater where the throne was. Sora and the others watched in morbid fascination as the young warrior descended the stairs and faced the Cornerstone of Light.

"If this isn't what I came for, I don't know what is."

The group tensed as he drew his keyblade. His sight activated and they watched as he sliced through.

But he didn't cut the whole thing. He simply cut a small piece from it.

"It looks stupid now…but it's still completely intact…I _should _blow this thing to bits, to prove a point…but…then _she'd _hate me…well they'd both hate me. She probably hates me enough as it is…at least I have the excuse of truth that the Islands were an accident…if she found out I intentionally caused the destruction of another place she holds dear…well…I'd probably lose the one person who'd actually listen…"

He pocketed the fragment of the Cornerstone and left the room. Walking to the king he gave a vindictive kick to the mouse's head.

"Stupid rat. Be glad I didn't wipe this place out like I should have…you're lucky I've got something more important than this pathetic world to focus on…You'll pay for your slights against the Realm of Darkness later. Stupid fool…don't know HOW a judgmental sack of meat like you became king of this place…"

He left the castle but as soon as he reached the location Donald and Goofy were still unconscious he stopped.

"Well shit…how the hell am I supposed to get off this stupid rock?" He noticed a door in the hedge. _Well that's pretty well hidden…let's see where it goes._

Finding himself in the strangest hangar imaginable he took stock of all the different ships docked.

"Too blue…too white…not enough guns…too many lasers…ahh…here we go…"

A distinctive dark violet gummy ship caught his attention. He hopped in and pushed a few buttons. "Ahh yes…thank the gods for single button start up sequences…hmm…Old Mansion in Twilight Town…well, I guess that's as good as any…"

Starting up the ship, he couldn't help but let out a whoop of joy as the ship rocketed off world. "DAMN am I glad I took this thing!"

* * *

(BGM: Kingdom Hearts II – Riku)

The strange darkness appeared again…only this time when it faded, they were back in the clearing.

"So that was the guy that possessed you Kairi?"

"Yes…" _Why…why did we see that? Are you really innocent?_

"He…almost killed the king…"

Kairi cut in. "But he didn't. You heard him, he didn't want to fight."

"How do we know it's the truth?"

"How do we know it isn't?" Kairi countered.

"I can say one thing…he was definitely cute."

"Olette!"

"What? It's true!"

Sora and the others gave a small laugh.

"Where do you think he went now?"

"Who knows Pence…"

"I guess we'll head back to the Castle for now…maybe the King has recovered."

"You promised to tell us all about Roxas!"

"Alright fine…we'll give you our stories, then we'll head back."

"Awesome!"

_What is it you're trying to do…?_

* * *

Took a little bit, but look at the size of this thing! Mickey fans won't be too happy about this new development, but honestly, who gives a crap? The damn mouse needed to be taken down a peg. Alicia's back and in Zero's debt, and YES she is in character. Go play VP2, she gets a bit more outgoing and forceful after everyone vanishes at the end of Chapter 4.

RCRS: Good, I was going to keep doing it even if you minded. FUCKING PLAY VP2 DAMMIT! It's a fucking good game, even though if you don't get the skill progression right it's a bit tough. If you need help, Game FAQs and I am here to assist. FFX's Blitzball was pretty cool, though HOW they can stay underwater that long is beyond me…Plus…playing VP2 is good to learn how to make new spells!

D&S Master: The first question you'll have answered next chapter. The second one…after that last big headache where her eyes changed, she's not going to get any more. The headaches were reactions to the strange bond she has with Zero, and the distortions left behind by him doing something outside normal laws. The headaches will no longer appear because the link has finally stabilized with her gaining the new sight.

Dunno when the next chapter will be…but I can tell you one thing, Kairi and Naminé meet Zero in an unknown location…and Naminé has an…interesting experience at his behest! What that could mean? Well, think like a horny teenager and you'll figure something out!


	6. Meeting

(BGM: Kingdom Hearts – Dive into the Heart)

The two of them were suspended in air, bound by glowing chains of nothingness. Arms stuck above their heads, they could move only the lower parts of their bodies…and the dark skinned man was smart enough to stay out of the range of their legs.

"_It was an accident." _The man had claimed. The red haired girl had begged for a reason as to why he destroyed her home, and thus was his answer. _"It wasn't my intention to blow your world to hell…it just…happened. I didn't realize just how powerful Mansex's existence was."_

Kairi asked where they were now. _"A world created from the link of my mind to yours. I would assume that the lovely starry sky above us is your influence…and the symbol on this unusual stained glass floor is mine."_

When her blonde haired nobody asked how that's possible…that is when they found themselves bound by nothing.

"_A temporary world, created from our link…as such it can be warped, and manipulated by us as we see fit. However…you lack the knowledge or training to do so…"_

Kairi struggled to get free from her bindings. Naminé, who was opposite of her, did the same. But Zero had other plans. He intended to show them just how deeply this link could be manipulated. He slowly walked over to Naminé, gently caressing her cheek.

"Let us see…how this works…"

His mind focused on a single spell. An illusion, that shows the target something that lies in the depths of their heart. The spell is wild however, not being specific, therefore the image projected into the mind could be of fear, sorrow, or even joy. Kairi watched as Naminé squirmed. Her anger increased as the girl twisted and shuddered, flailing back and forth, her eyes squeezed shut.

_Pain then?_

Naminé's back arced as a heavy blush appeared on her face. Kairi wrenched herself free after the blonde tilted her head back and let loose what the red-head thought was a scream of agony. Zero blinked as he watched the girl fall limp, panting. He whirled around, a small flare of light appearing in his hands, and knocked Kairi off balance. The girl had tried to attack him while he was distracted…but completely forgot that in this world, what lies in the mind of one, will lie in the minds of both.

She tried to strike in an overhead swing, but Zero deflected her blade back into the air. The combined forces knocked her arms over her head…and everything seemed to slow.

"You've gotten better…had it not been for this link you'd have had me…however…"

He raised his free hand, pointing two fingers and placing them on Kairi's chest, right between her breasts.

"You're still just a little girl compared to me…"

A black pulse slammed into Kairi, point blank. The girl rocketed backward as her Keyblade dropped from her hand. She slammed into the ground heavily, bouncing once and being flipped over from the momentum. She landed face down on the ground. A few moments later, the girl tried to get up, only to cough heavily, spitting out a small amount of blood. She looked up at Zero with watery, fearful eyes.

"Waste of time…come back…when you feel like listening."

His form faded into nothing. Kairi struggled to her feet as Naminé dropped to the ground. The blonde stood on wobbly legs, only for them to give out beneath her. Kairi managed to stumble over to the blonde, catching her just before the girl hit the ground…but the movement caused both of them to fall.

"Hey…are you alright?"

The blonde nodded shyly. "What was that? What did he do to you?"

The blush immediately returned and her eyes lost focus for a moment. She blinked, blushed deeper and looked away. "Ahh…umm…I'd rather…not say…"

Kairi just nodded. "God that hurt…"

"It looked like it did…"

"I think he might have broken a rib."

"Let's hope that doesn't carry over…"

Zero awoke to see a beautiful pale blonde haired girl standing over him. Alicia pulled back as he sat up, holding his head.

"Oh good you're awake. The thing was beeping and woke me up."

"We must be there then…"

She shrugged. "I wouldn't know…I've never seen something like this before."

"I'll give you a crash course in the basics in a bit…just gimme a few minutes to wake up ne?"

"Sure, I'll be in the…uhh…"

"Cockpit?"

A faint blush showed on her cheeks. "Yeah, that."

"I don't know why they call it that either."

"It sounds rather…rude…"

"Probably the idea behind it. You should see some of the robot's I've seen…"

The blush deepened. She seemed to turn her nose at that and looked away. "I think I'll pass…hurry up ok? I want to see this place!"

"Yeah yeah…" The girl ran off. _Damn…that didn't go at all how I wanted it…but still…I wonder…what did she see? Whatever it was…it must have been good…_

He stood up and stretched. Leaving the room he had one last thought.

_It had to be…to give her an orgasm like that…_

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter V: Making Plans**

"So…what is that thing?"

"That, is a world."

"That's a _world?! _But it looks so…"

"Strange? Yeah. They tend to look odd from up here."

"What is it?"

"The World that Never Was."

"What?"

"It's a border world. A world that lay on the boundary between Darkness and Light. There are a few of these around, but they tend to be hard to reach…this particular one…was the base of operations for the Order. Xemnas ruled this place, and it was here that a gateway to Kingdom Hearts resided."

"His goal…right?"

"That's right. Xemnas wanted to use Kingdom Hearts' power to create a new world, specific to the Nobody's, where they could regain their lost hearts."

"Much like Lezard…"

"And Van Grants as well…he wanted to make a world free of a powerful prophetic force known as the 'Score'."

"Prophetic force?"

"Future Sight. LONG before his generation came around, a being called Yulia read an object known as a Fon Stone and created the Score. The Score was a powerful prophetic object that mapped out the future in great detail. Everyone had come to rely on the Score for even menial tasks like what socks to put on in the morning."

"That's horrible!"

"More like pathetic. Though there was one person who made a good point. 'If your Score says: to the east you will find untold riches; and you go east and find untold riches, you're going to want to go back and find out more.' It's true, but see there's a problem, the world is round. Eventually, if you keep going east in a straight line, you'll end up right back where you started. So in actuality, you could head east for a long time, end up right back in your home town and find out an investment you made got you rich while you were gone. People are stupid enough to believe it was the Score that lead to such events. Eventually, there was an abnormality in the Score; it foretold something that ended up splitting in twain. Van wanted to wipe out humanity, and then recreate it with clones. Almost succeeded too, much like your Lezard."

Alicia nodded her head, completely engrossed with what Zero was saying.

"Anyway, Xemnas failed when he was defeated by the Keybearers; and then erased by me. But this world was around before he was. It's funny too; he helped the inhabitants leave this world when the Heartless began invading."

"Wait what? Why would he do that? He was after hearts right? So wouldn't he get more by turning the people of the world into Heartless?"

"While that's true, some worlds are more seeped in darkness than others, border worlds especially. The inhabitants of this world were far too resistant to the Darkness, because they lived right next to it. So they wouldn't have become Heartless, they'd have just died. So he opened Dark Corridors to random worlds before the massive invasion of Heartless appeared, and set the worlds people loose. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if he knew he fucked up royally, and just wanted to fix his mistake, but went about it the wrong way."

"That…makes some sense…but, why are we here of all places?"

"Well for one I want a place to crash when I'm tired. The ship's nice, but I like having a home to return to ne?"

Alicia nodded her agreement.

"And also, I've got some of his memories, so these things that are popping up seem familiar to me, but he had notes on them in his room in the Castle That Never Was. Plus, it's full of Heartless and rogue Nobodies, so I can start teaching you a few more things."

"Sounds good. Let's go then!"

She tried to activate the teleporter…but it wouldn't work.

"Huh? Why isn't this working?"

"I thought that would happen."

She looked over to him, confused.

"It's a fail-safe. The world's innate protection. Seeing as it's a Border world, controlling it would be a very useful thing. So, it has a protection. It can only be accessed by the outside by means of a specific gateway, or a Dark Corridor. The protection can be bypassed from outside if you've been to the world before, because it recognizes you as an inhabitant, but otherwise, you need to go in through one of those two ways."

"But…don't you have the powers of the Thirteen? Can't you get in?"

"I only have their powers, I'm not them. Buuuut…I can try something…"

"What?"

"I'm going to pull the ship into a Dark Corridor. Normally you have to take a specific Corridor called Betwixt and Between. It's a specialized gateway created by the Order to reach this world. However…since I _do _have the powers of the Thirteenth Order, a normal Corridor should trigger the recognition factor of the Bind Field."

"And if it doesn't work?"

"We'll have to blow our way out of the Corridor and get to Twilight Town…and since _they _are at Twilight Town, and it's unlikely my little gift swayed them much, we'd have to fight…"

"And I haven't gotten used to this weapon yet, so I'd only slow you down."

"Exactly. It's easy to pick up, it's not much different from your old sword, but there's a few tricks to it."

Suddenly a thought came to Alicia's mind. "Wait, couldn't you just use your sight to pierce the protection around the World?"

"Oh good, you were paying attention. Yes, I could, but then I'd shatter it and leave the world open for anyone to access. By leaving the protection up, I give US a bit of a defense against anyone who tries to take the World over. We don't know where these things are coming from, just that somehow I released them."

"Oh I get it now…if you did that, it's possible those things could show up…"

"As it is now, I don't think anything other than Heartless and Nobodies can enter this world. Those things haven't been here as far as I know, so the world's natural protection should keep them away for now."

"Alright…well, I'm ready."

Zero nodded and focused his thoughts. A shimmering sphere of dark energy surrounded the violet ship, then vanished. Elsewhere, on Disney Castle, Kairi awoke.

_He knows so much…and that Girl…could that be…Alicia? Why would he go so far to bring her of all people back to the living?_

(Disney Castle)

Kairi awoke suddenly. Birds were chirping outside the window of the room she was resting in. The smell of food slowly wafted up to her nose as she groggily wiped the sleep from her eyes. _What…did I dream about last night?_

She slowly got out of the bed, blinking rapidly as the sun's light reflected off of the bright blue walls. _Well…I saw Zero and he-hey! I know where he is! I have to tell the others!_

Racing down to where the Queen showed them was the dining hall, she burst through the doors, startling those already eating. Immediately her brain forgot everything she meant to say and focused on one thing. _PANCAKES!_

Eyes wide like a child's, she slowly stalked over to the table, almost in awe of the large amount of foods that were there. Like a zombie, she reached for a plate and grabbed a large stack of pancakes before smothering them in syrup and gobbling them up. She didn't notice the surprised stares of the others at the table as the usually well-mannered and tidy girl tore into her food like a rabid boar. Sora, ever the joyous fool, tried to interrupt the girl.

"Uhh…Kai?"

Her head snapped up, bits of pancakes dotting her mouth, hair matted to her forehead and eyes glaring at him for interrupting her meal. The world around him seemed to turn black and white as he felt an unusually fearsome pressure emanating from her, directed solely at him. The young warrior's eyes picked up on how her muscles seemed to tense. Her hands clenched her knife and fork, as if preparing to skewer the poor fool who stood between her and her meal. Unconsciously his body shuddered as a low growl emitted from her throat. Scared shitless, the young Keybearer shook his head and raised his hands in a non-threatening manner.

"Gah, uhh…forget I said anything…just…uhh…keep going…"

The pressure faded as the focused killing intent vanished when the girl returned to devouring her meal. A minute or two later, the girl's head shot up, eyes narrowed. She swiveled her head back and forth, as if searching for something. After a few moments of that, she seemed to glare at thin air and reach for more food, before tearing into that as well.

Unknown to them, a voice had interrupted her meal.

"**Hungry aren't we?"**

Her head snapped up at the sound of the voice. The voice chuckled when she looked around and saw nothing.

"**Keep eating kit. You won't find me because I'm not here."**

She glared at the air, and returned to her food.

"**Right now I'm at The World that Never Was. Alicia and I are doing some training, then we're going to storm that castle. There's information there that I need."**

_Why are you telling me this?_

"**Your friends want to find me. They want to fight me. Well, I'm extending an invitation for them. And after I kick their asses, I'll probably have a task for you three."**

_And why should we help you?_

"**Oh I'm just assuming you don't want anything like Destiny Islands to happen to other places."**

Immediately she froze. _You would…_

"**Not me. But these things I keep running into. I still don't know what they are, but Mansex's memories say he's got information on them. That's why I want you guys to get here, so I can give you that information."**

_Why help us? What do you get out of it?_

"**Penance, maybe. Who knows? I didn't mean to blow that world to hell, and I'd rather not have anything like that happen again. Besides, I still need to train you."**

_What did you do to Naminé?_

"**She didn't tell you? Ahh…well, it's her choice, but I'll tell you how it works. I used a spell that shows the target something deep within their heart. Mostly it's something horrid or scary in some way, something that will paralyze them with fear or pain…"**

_So it's a torture spell._

"**Yes and no, it can be used on someone to show them what lies within their heart to make them see a point or something. It's a wild spell really."**

_I see…so what do you want me to do?_

"**Just let them know you know where I am. Once you do that, they'll probably bolt out to get to me, then I can school them and get down to business."**

_Alright…I'll have to fight you too wont I?_

"**Perhaps. We'll see how it goes. Anyway, I have to go. Alicia's trying to cast Judgment, and she's about to blow off about half a building in the process. Girl's damn good at swordplay…but she still has a bit to learn in casting…no matter, I'll fix that soon. I expect to see you in about a day's time kit. Before I send you guys off on your missions, I'll be training you."**

_Alone with two beautiful girls? You pervert._

"**Oi oi! I'm not treadin on that spiky hared brat's turf dammit! I could kick his ass, but it'd be too troublesome. Besides, you're good looking, but you're a bit young for me."**

_Oh shut up. _She wiped her face with the provided tools and sighed in pleasure.

"**Hmph, I could make you do that louder if I felt like it."**

Immediately the others noticed a fierce blush on her cheeks.

_I'd rather you not right now thank you. _**"Not right now? Oho, so you want it later then?"**

_Gah you…get the HELL outta my head!_

With a loud laugh of joy the voice vanished. In the back of her mind however she heard something that actually made her feel…good.

"**Thanks kit…not much reason to laugh for me anymore…I needed that…"**

Alright, originally I'd planned a nice battle for you here…but I kinda lost the thought of how it'd go in my head. So, it'll be next time. Also, next chapter will feature how I portray the links between elements. You'll understand later.

D&S Master: A lot went on before this chapter started. It won't be now, but it will be very soon that he shows her a few tricks. Although remember this. She is a Princess of Heart. What that means for her…you'll have to wait and see.

RCRS: Indeed, and Art is a Bang. Fine, don't play it. But you won't get some of the things that happen…bwahahahahaha.


	7. Dragon 1

(BGM: Rockman X5 – X vs Zero)

**CLANG**

Alicia's sword crashed into Maleficent's staff. Though made of wood, the rod held together like an iron pole. The older woman pushed with all her might, tossing the young former princess backward. The girl quickly recovered in a back flip, but had to continue hopping backwards as small orbs of black and green flame rocketed towards where she stood.

A booted foot slammed into the older woman's face, knocking her back. Zero quickly grabbed the old mage's leg before she got too far, spun in place and then launched her toward Alicia. The pale blonde slid under the flying body of Maleficent, twisted and then thrust her right leg up. Her foot slammed into the older woman's back, popping her into the air. Zero took to the air above the mage, only to get a face full of emerald flame as the sorceress recovered. Alicia did a quick handstand to pop herself back upright, and then formed a spell.

"Fragment of Light…**Limited!"**

A pink glyph appeared underneath Maleficent, who had landed. Before she could react, what looked like a targeting reticule appeared around the glyph, and a beam of light slammed down upon her, searing her flesh. The old woman hissed in pain, before she doubled over from a fist to her gut, courtesy of Zero, followed by a spinning right kick that connected with the side of her head, launching her away.

"End it Alicia!"

Alicia nodded, focusing her thoughts. "Now is the time!"

She practically flew forward, sword arm raised. "Finishing Strike!"

She swung diagonally from left to right, twirling and performing a horizontal swing, pivoting again for a direct thrust, and then twirling one last time gathering energy into her blade, bringing it up across Maleficent's chest, the energy knocking the woman into the sky where she was surrounded by a glowing pure white orb.

Alicia leapt to the sky as three gigantic lances slammed into Maleficent, pinning her in place. Two massive walls of energy emerged from Alicia's back, taking the form of glowing white wings. In her right hand formed another giant spear.

"**Nibelung Valesti!"**

She hurled the spear with all her might. The lance slammed into an open spot in the cage of spears, going straight through Maleficent's body. The energy sphere shattered, and the pieces all swirled together in a massive vortex of energy covering the area in a blinding white light. When it cleared, Alicia had landed, the wings gone; and Maleficent slammed into the ground away from them.

"You cannot withstand the force of my powers."

Zero flickered up next to her. "Getting confident are we?"

"She's done…she has to be. I threw in as much Light energy as I could into that."

Zero's senses told him otherwise…and he was proven right moments later as Maleficent's body was surrounded by emerald and black flame.

"Foolish children! To think you have defeated me so easily?! My will shall not be denied!"

From the flames emerged a towering black scaled dragon.

Alicia's eyebrow twitched.

"WHAT?!"

Zero smirked and readied his Keyblade. "Oh come now…you didn't really think it'd be that easy did you? Multi-tiered boss. Pain in the ass…but they tend to stay dead after the second or third form."

"_**We will see how confident you are when your souls are being tortured in the underworld!"**_

_How did we get into this again…?_

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter VI: Giant Enemy Dragon Part I**

(BGM: Crisis Core FFVII – Night of Seclusion)

They landed on The World that Never Was. The transport was rough, but they made it unharmed. After docking the ship on the roof of an apartment building, they made their way through a few waves of Shadows to the nearest store. Oddly enough, the place was still stocked, and the food was still fresh.

"Woot for luck."

"Woot?"

"Ahh…lingo from my world. It basically means awesome, in the sense that something was succeeded at."

"I see. Woot indeed."

She gave a nervous smile, which was met with a confident one. "Oi, Oi! You don't have time to be worrying. As soon as we grab this stuff and head back to the flat I'm teaching you some magic!"

"A-ahh."

"Oh Great Deity of the Holy Realm, cast thy fragments upon these corrupt souls! May purifying rays transcend through life and sear their blackened hearts with your eternal light!"

The pale blonde struggled to properly form the powerful spell. The energy coursed through her body in ways she'd never felt, distracting her from properly routing it for materialization. Sweat rolled down her brow as her throat constricted from lack of moisture. Her body trembled as the powerful force built within her, a circle of power beneath her feet, meant to assist in directing the energy.

"Ju-Judge...Kyaaah!"

The energy began to take form in front of her, but instead of coming down as multiple rays of light the way it was supposed to, it appeared as a giant ball of light in front of her that exploded, sending her flying off the roof. The explosion blew off a large chunk of ground in front of where she was. Zero swung down, one hand holding his keyblade, which was jammed in the side of the building they were staying in, and the other wrapped around Alicia's waist. The two swung back up to the top of the building, Zero landing on his back while Alicia collapsed on top of him.

The girl panted and shuddered, mind reeling not just from the explosion, but the realization of how close to death she actually was. She slowly clambered off of the young man and turned away so he'd not see her falling tears. Zero acted like he didn't notice and whistled.

"Not bad princess. You meant to cast a Judgment spell and ended up with a modified Ray spell…and a pretty powerful one too."

She clutched her body and shuddered, wildly shaking her head. She started when a pair of arms wrapped around her. Zero lazily rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Maa maa, don't worry. So you don't have the control yet to cast Judgment, you still got out a pretty powerful move…and once I figure out what triggered it, we can make it your own personal technique ne?"

She sighed, still shivering slightly. "If you hadn't been there…"

"Oi, there's no sense worrying about ifs here. I was there and that's all that matters. We'll just have to pick a safer location for that one is all."

She sighed again and turned around, this time with a weak smile on her face. "Do you always make such things seem so trivial?"

"Well…not trivial…but if it went a certain way, there's no point in thinking too much about how it could have gone another way…unless it's one of those repeat events…then thinking about it is a good thing, but those aren't too common."

Her smile grew stronger. "You are…a very strange individual."

"Ahh but that's what you like about me right?"

Her smile grew coy. "Perhaps." She turned and walked away, leaving a confused Zero. "O-Oi! What do you mean perhaps?! Oi! Dammit woman don't not answer!"

* * *

"So he's on the World that Never Was?"

"Yes…that's what he told me. He said that he'd be waiting for us there."

"Kairi…how did he tell you this?"

"I…seem to have some sort of connection to him, your Majesty. Neither one of us knows how it works, just that it was created when he took over my body that day…When I sleep, sometimes I can see what he sees."

"And you're saying it's the other way around too right?"

"Actually Riku…I'm not sure…I think he can control his portion…because he told me this while I was eating this morning."

"So _that's _why you were looking around randomly."

She blushed and nodded. "Yeah…his voice showed up in my head and I thought he was nearby."

Sora got up and stretched. "Well that settles it. We're heading out to the World that Never Was."

Riku and Kairi nodded. The two got up and began to leave. Kairi however noticed King Mickey make a small gesture towards her for her to stay behind a moment. She nodded and slowed her pace, letting Riku overtake her position before doubling back.

"Kairi…what is it you didn't tell us?"

"He's going to win…and after that…he's going to send us out on a mission."

"A mission?"

"He said something about strange creatures appearing. They aren't Heartless or Nobodies. He said that these creatures seek to Destroy the worlds, not just envelop them in darkness."

"I see…Ansem…mentioned something like that long ago…but he said the information was fragmented…do you think, this Zero is at that particular world because the Organization had information on these creatures?"

"I don't know…it's possible though."

"Hey Kairi! Come on!"

"Go on. Just be careful."

"We will, your Majesty."

* * *

(BGM: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann – Rap wa kan no tamashii…Datta…yo na…)

Alicia shot up with a yelp. Wearing only a flimsy white night gown, she shuddered as sweat matted her brow from the horrid nightmare she woke from. She clutched herself tightly and whirled her head around. The dimly lit room seemed extremely intimidating to the young Ex-Princess. She clambered out of the bed and trotted out of the door. Closing it behind her she sighed in relief. After walking a few steps, she came to the door where Zero slept.

The two had taken residence in the abandoned Hotel just before the alleyway that lead to the Castle That Never Was. Though the World was in perpetual night, their bodies and minds were weary from the day's training, and they set off to bed.

_Stupid nightmares…I've gotten too used to sleeping near Rufus and the others…I don't even have Silmeria's Einherjar anymore…so it really felt like I was alone in there…nobody to talk to…_

She was about to knock on his door…but hesitated.

_Maybe I shouldn't. He's done a lot for me already…and other than the trip here I don't think he's gotten any sleep since the day his body was stolen…I shouldn't wake him up…it's just a stupid night-_

Suddenly the door handle glowed a faint blue, and then opened. She blinked as the door gave way to show Zero sitting up on the bed, shirtless. She blushed slightly at the sight as he whacked his hand on the empty space on the bed. She slowly stepped forward, jumping when the door swung shut behind her. She whirled back to him only for him to grunt in annoyance and continue gesturing for her to come over.

"How did-

"Your energy spiked about a minute ago." He yawned. "Then I elt…ou…ousi…a…door…" He stretched slightly. "Agh…just c'mere dammit. I still need sleep."

"No…I…I'll just go back to my room, I shouldn't have-gyaah!"

She yelped again, only this time due to Zero gesturing towards her and her body literally lifting off the ground and zooming to the bed where she landed with a soft thump. He pulled her close to him and lay her head on his chest as he pulled the sheets over them. Her face turned bright red at the proximity. She looked up at him to see him giving her a half-lidded stare.

"Must've been one helluva nightmare to make a spike like that. We _both _need sleep Princess. No point in wasting time staying awake."

She sighed in surrender and made herself comfortable. "Besides…what self respecting woman lover wouldn't want such a cutie like you laying next to him?"

She slapped his chest as he gave a tired sounding chuckle. "Pervert."

"And loving it."

Despite the everlasting blush on her face, and the knowledge that this was quite obviously a pervert she was laying next to…she was comfortable…content…relaxed…her mind was clearing faster than it ever had in the time she was alive before now. _Is it…him? It might be…I don't think I've ever felt this…safe…_

"I'm only doing this…" Her eyes drooped as fatigue slammed into her with the subtlety of a freight train, yawning, she continued. "…because…I'm tired…"

"Whatever you say Princess…"

"…and…because I feel…safe…"

One last sigh of content, and the Pseudo-Valkyrie was out like a light. Zero gave a weary smile and a gentle kiss to her forehead. Unseen to him the sleeping girl smiled, but he felt her grip his side tighter as she pulled herself closer.

"Sleep well…Alicia…"

* * *

A short update, REALLY short, but I'm hitting a bit of a block and I thought this would be a nice place to end. We see more of Zero's kinder side, and his and Alicia's growing relationship.

The next chapter will have a bit more training, the fight against Dragon Maleficent, and information on the unknown enemy!

D&S Master: I suppose it was. Personally I found the Kairi Eating scene to be funnier. And yes, never get in the way of Kairi and her breakfast…or she will break you.

RCRS: You…are even more random than my girlfriend. And she is RANDOM. We're talking about a girl who will randomly start singing "jeeeesussss had a monkeeeeey for dinnerrrrr!" and other things like that. Though the fruits of your boredom match not hers. You may have watercolor panted your arms, but SHE turned a UPS bobble head toy doll thing into a DRAG QUEEN.

Yes, I date strange people.

ORE O DARE DA TO OMOTEYAGARU?!


	8. Devils Never Cry

(BGM: Crisis Core FFVII – Chaotic Battlefield)

"Man…it's a good thing we had to come here first eh guys?"

Sora ducked under the swing of a Shadow, before cutting it down. He spun on his right heel out of the way of a Knight's claw, before bashing it over the head, turning it to vapors. He kicked another Shadow away before cutting through two more Knights.

Kairi made a noise of affirmation. "I don't know why we couldn't just warp down there, but if we hadn't come here…"

She twirled her keyblade and made a downwards left slash across the chest of a Knight, followed by ducking under a spinning lunge from another Knight and placing her free hand on the ground to temporarily lift herself to kick it away while it was over her. She swung her aerial leg as hard as she could to quickly right herself, while swinging her blade in the same path, which cut through another Shadow.

Sora and Kairi were referring to the instance where they realized they couldn't warp down to the World That Never Was. For some reason the teleporter would not recognize their commands, and decided to take the long way through Twilight Town. It's fortunate that they did, for when they reached the Sandlot, they noticed a strange distortion hovering near the back entrance. Immediately as they got close enough, it loosed a pulse of darkness that summoned the strange force field that bound all their battle areas. It then began summoning forth small groups of Shadows and Knights.

"Less talk more action you two! We need to get to the other world!"

Riku was irritated. He wanted revenge on the one who destroyed his home, killed his friends…and these things were in his way. He cut through a series of shadows like they were nothing, before loosing a wave of air from his palm which knocked back three Knights. A moment later, the Knights were incinerated by a wave of dark flame from his hand. The distortion shrunk.

"Alright! Looks like we're done!"

The small sphere of black pulsed…and then began growing.

"You just HAD to open your mouth didn't you Sora?"

The sphere morphed into the form of a giant purple creature with for legs and three horns. A black and red Heartless crest was on its chest in full view, showing it was artificially created. It roared as a bolt of lightning struck its center horn. Sora stepped back.

"Oh…_shit._"

Immediately Kairi and Riku snapped their heads to Sora. He NEVER cursed.

"Sora…what is this thing?"

"A Behemoth…oh man I haven't seen one of these in _forever._"

"Ok…what was with the cursing?"

"I've fought only two of these things…and both times I needed _Tinkerbell _in order to win."

Kairi blinked in confusion, but Riku understood.

"You mean…"

"Yep…these things are strong enough to almost _kill _me."

The Behemoth roared as energy began gathering between its three horns.

"Oh crap MOVE!"

The energy fired into the air…immediately afterwards, giant flaming rocks fell from the sky along with purple bolts of energy. Sora rolled left and right barely avoiding the attacks. Kairi ran full tilt towards the Barrier, and Riku just kept pulling up walls of light to try to block the attacks. Needless to say that when the attack ended, all three of them were tired out.

"Dammit! How did you beat this thing Sora?!"

"It only has one weak point…and that's the center horn on its head."

The three stared at the roaring beast.

"Guys…we're screwed aren't we?"

The two boys could only nod.

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter VII: The Ties that Bind**

(BGM: Devil May Cry 3 – Loop Demo Movie)

Alicia took to the air and brought her blade down on the dragon's right arm. The sword did practically nothing, and she was swatted away. Zero ran up the dragon's other arm and slammed his Keyblade on its shoulder. The dragon barely even flinched before smacking him away with its head. It roared and fired a blast of emerald flame at the warrior. He called up a wall of condensed air as a shield, blocking him from both the flame and the heat.

Alicia gathered her energy. "Shining sphere of holy grace! Ray!"

Launching a ball of light energy from her left hand, she incanted the spell that would cause the ball to splinter and turn into lances of light. The multiple beams pierced the dragon's tough hide, causing it to screech in agony. Its eyes narrowed at the girl and fired a wave of emerald fire at her.

Panting from the exertion required for the spell, Alicia couldn't move. Suddenly a flicker of something appeared in her vision, and within a split second Zero stood in front of her. As the flame reached him, he leapt off the ground in a spiral motion.

"**Kuuhabakuendan!" **(Empty Destruction Blast Flame Bullet)

The spinning motion combined with the small amounts of wind energy wafting off him merged with the wave of fire to create a giant rotating ball of green burning death. The warrior slammed into the dragon, knocking it back a few paces as the swirling configuration dissipated. He followed up with a series of blade swings to further cut through the dark dragon's scales, now weakened by its own flame.

At that moment Alicia remembered that Zero had told her about her sword's power to channel energy. She gathered light energy into her hand and swung it across the blade. A series of symbols appeared on the blade as it flared with light. Now charged, she ran towards the dragon and made a swing. The blade cut through the dragon's scales like they were nothing.

"Funny, I didn't think that would work…"

Maleficent's dragon form roared in annoyance and took to the skies. Against the dark backdrop of the night sky, her form was well hidden. Zero and Alicia looked around, trying to see where she was, their only indication being the random flares of flame that she would fire down to them, which were easily evaded. After about a minute of the cycle, Zero grew irritated.

"Fuck this shit."

With a small pulse of energy, his eyes flared silver. He stared into the skies, watching as a giant white dot appeared in the sky, moving back and forth. He dodged another sphere of fire, and then let loose a yell as he swung his blade in an overhead arc at the air. From the keyblade shot a crescent shaped wave of energy that shot straight through the dragon causing it to falter and drop. Alicia ran to Zero, out of the projected landing zone, only for the two of them to be covered in a torrent of green fire…

* * *

Kairi slammed into the force field keeping the rest of the area protected. She groaned as she slid down the shimmering transparent wall of light. Riku and Sora weren't fairing much better. She clambered to her feet, blood trickling down her arm, her hair matted to her forehead and filled with dust and sweat. Her body shuddered in protest as she forced it to comply with her demands. Calling her keyblade to her hand she prepared to charge…when suddenly she froze.

Inside her mind, Naminé was casually painting her toenails out of boredom. She kept her senses open for anything, but considering the only enemy they were fighting was a big loud beast, there wasn't much she could do to help. Anyway, she was sitting in the ether, painting her toenails when suddenly a powerful flare of light shot by her, causing her to drop the container on her dress making a big red spot where her stomach was. The flare left behind a trail that seemed to stretch down into the depths of Kairi's subconscious.

"What the heck is that?"

* * *

She was winning. Slowly, but surely, the two were tiring out. Even with his eyes, it was difficult to pierce Maleficent's points, because she would constantly put something in the way. Her fire attacks, while not too painful due to his resistance gained from Axel's presence, were slowly whittling down Zero's stamina. Being thrown into buildings repeatedly doesn't help either.

"Damn…I didn't think I'd have to do this…"

Unknown to him, his mind synchronized with Kairi's as he relaxed his body. A silent wind began whipping around him as his mind focused.

"**We are falling**

**The light is calling**

**Tears inside me**

**Calm me down."**

Kairi slowly closed her eyes and began to speak.

"_Bless me with the_

_Leaf off of the tree_

_On it I see_

_The freedom reign."_

As one, their bodies moved. In their hands appeared their Keyblades as their forms were surrounded by two swirling streams of multicolored energy.

"**Midnight calling**

**Mist of resolving**

_Crown me, with the_

_Pure green leaf"_

The energy around them intensified, almost solidifying to their bodies. The ground around them began to shake from the amount of power they were now radiating. Alicia stood in awe of the light emanating from Zero's body, as Sora and Riku stared in confusion and some slight tredeptation about what was happening with their best female friend.

"**Praise to my father**

_Blessed by the water_

In their sights the dragon and behemoth overlapped, their minds one, their bodies one, the energy surrounding them like a second skin, absorbed into their very hearts.

"**Black night,** _dark sky_

_**The devil's cry"**_

Their eyes snapped open, and they vanished from sight. Suddenly a blur was found attacking their respective creature. They struck with an overhead swing, then attacked with the same motion again, only leading into a twirl on their right heel leading up to an upper left slash from their right which became a series of flicks and swings that slowly carved into the tough hides of their targets.

They vanished from sight again. Moments later a series of heavy thudding noises rung through the area as clouds of dust and energy erupted all over their targets bodies like explosions. The creatures flinched with every move. They appeared at the left foreleg of their targets and pierced the tough hides of their enemies with their Keyblades, running up the creature's legs while carving a straight line into the beasts. A shower of purple and black vapors streamed from the wounds. As they reached the point where the body and foreleg met they flipped off and to the side slamming the keyblade again into the meeting point and swung down, below and over in a large circle before jumping off and sending a HUGE crescent wave into the outline they just created, severing the limb from the creature.

Alicia was awed while Sora and Riku freaked out. You weren't supposed to be able to DO something like that to a Behemoth, let alone with a _Keyblade._

The two raced for their targets, leaping over the falling limb and flying towards the face of their enemy. They spun in air once and then brought the tip of their right foot into the enemy's face, followed by a half rotation and their left heel, which was followed by another half rotation and their _right _heel. A crunching noise was heard as they crushed the "nose" of their target, before loosing another crescent wave that acted like a blunt force causing them to recoil sharply. They flipped back and slammed the keyblade into the target's neck, sliding down and ripping open a very large gash among the roars of pain of their enemy.

Finally seeing enough damage done, they banished their keyblade, leaping to the air. They swung their right leg in a left arc, causing a wave of energy to impact their target. Again and again they spun and swung their left, then right then left then landed and did a back flip which caused a vertical wave before flipping into the air and gathering their remaining energy.

They traced a circle, then a seven pointed star in front of their bodies. The glyph created appeared around the neck of their target, binding them in place. They placed their feet behind them, another glyph –this one being different for the two, for Zero it was three triangles emerging from the tips of a fourth upside-down triangle in the center of a circle that spanned the edges of the center triangle, while three more triangles pointed outwards while being above the flat parts of the center one, and for Kairi it was a giant heart outline with no connection between the two sides, but inward spirals towards the center (think the heart symbol that's on the box of Kingdom Hearts)- appeared and launched them forward.

The two rocketed towards their targets, drawing their weapons back. As soon as they reached close enough, the glyphs flared with light, and they thrust the tip of their weapons into the foreheads of their respective targets. Both the dragon and behemoth screeched with agony as their bodies were ripped apart and reverted to particles. The glow around the two faded as they dropped to the ground. Kairi was nearly unconscious, and Zero was just on one knee panting.

"Zero…what was…?"

"Stored energy released in a single burst. It's a bitch to do…and…it's really…tiring…"

"You should rest, we can-

"No. I'm alright…just need a second…" He stood up shakily. "See? I'm fine…we're going in. I can rest later…I want…no…I NEED to know what these things are."

"A-alright…but I've got my eye on you mister."

"Hah…I wouldn't…expect anything less…"

* * *

Gah FUCK! This chapter took WAY too long to come out of my head! I had the idea WEEKS ago, but couldn't think of a way to properly write it without looking stupid. Anyway, I finally have a Wii, and Brawl, so if you want, come challenge me; I'm on the east coast. Just warning ya. My friend code is at the bottom of my profile. Name's Xen.

RCRS: Fine, I'll match or beat that with: "I gotta piss like a racehorse." "You're a FACE!" "FUCK YOU WHOREBASKET!" "Twatburgler!" "Whoremonkey!" "Shit-fuck…BLAGH!" aaaand "You're a GRUNDLE!" And let's not get into who she works with…whoooooly shit…

D&S Master: Yes I do. And Nice Zero isn't just in this one; he's also in my HP fic…though he switches between Nice and ASSHOLE like, instantly.

Ok, I wanted this to be longer, but honestly I can't think of shit right now. I know what I plan to do; hell I even have the final chapter written. Next chapter shows information on the new enemy, an attempted battle between Sora Kairi and Riku (with surprising results) and possibly homages to Monty Oum's Dead Fantasy's I and II. WATCH THEM!

Oh, and for those with Shift+JIS…

コレオゼロマルカ。　　ジャアネミンアサン。


	9. Discovery

"Zero, are you in here?"

Alicia entered one of the many rooms of the Castle. The sheer size of the place still made her a tad bit uneasy. This room however, was the one Zero frequented the most over the past three days. Surprisingly the room had a window with a nice view of the town. The room, like every other room in the castle was entirely white and sterile looking, or at least it was until Hurricane Zero came in. Papers, books, disks, all sorts of random objects littered the floor and tables. The past few days he had done non-stop research to try to find out what these creatures he spoke of were, but she didn't know if he was successful or not.

"Some of these _do _look rather promising…"

The young woman shifted through the papers with a sigh, knowing what he'd been doing. _He pushes himself too hard…as if he has the weight of the universe on his shoulders…a feeling I know all too well…_

She looked out the window and saw something that sparked her ire.

"Oh that little…no he didn't…"

Outside the castle, standing in an alleyway was the black blob that was Zero, along with three other blobs of color. She remembered him mentioning that they were going to have invited but potentially hostile guests…and knew that he was now facing them.

"Oooh he makes me SO mad sometimes!" _Funny…around now would be when Silmeria accused me of having feelings for someone…I can't help but wonder if she'd be right on this account…_

* * *

"So, you finally showed up."

"You're the one that destroyed our home."

"It was an unforeseen consequence. I'd apologize, but we all know that would do nothing." _I make such an awesome bad guy…_

"Zero…why? What's happening to me, with us?! What is the connection we have?!"

"Hell if I know. It goes beyond normal limits is all I can say."

"Well maybe if we beat you it'll go away!"

Zero drew his keyblade. "You're welcome to try."

Riku rushed him…when a glowing light appeared from the sky and crashed in between the two of them. Zero blinked as Riku jumped back out of the way.

"Alicia…?"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Oi, this is my fight-

"Fight?! You haven't slept or eaten for _days! _You plan on fighting in that condition?!"

"I'm fine. I can take care of-

The blonde walked over to him, placed two fingers on his forehead and gathered a small amount of light energy.

"What are you-

A small flash of light later, and Zero was laid out on his back unconscious. Alicia sighed and crouched next to him, gently brushing a lock of hair out of his face.

"Honestly…you're strong but you're not all powerful…you've been working non-stop for days on end…not a minute's rest. Especially since that fight against that sorceress…you should have at least rested…"

She stood up and snapped her fingers. A pair of Dancer Nobodies appeared, surprising the three remaining Keybearers.

"Please, take him to my room to sleep this off."

The Dancers nodded, grabbed Zero's arms and vanished in a white portal. Alicia sighed again.

"I don't know who you are, or why you're here, but your fight with him will have to wait."

"You're…Princess Alicia…aren't you?"

She turned to face the three. "How do you know who I am?"

"Silmeria told us."

Alicia's eyes widened. "You know Silmeria?"

Kairi continued. "We've met her…we were there when Zero took your spirit from the black haired Valkyrie's body."

"Hrist…so Hrist was the one in control this time…"

Riku had to ask. "Why are you helping him?! He-

"Destroyed your world, yes, I know. He told me. He told me what he'd done, and the remorse he felt for his lack of attention."

"Lack of attention? What are you talking about?"

"…he didn't know we were fighting at the core."

Sora and Riku whirled to Kairi. "What?"

"I've spoken with him…many times while I was sleeping. I've seen things through his eyes…he didn't know that doing what he did would cause such a backlash…"

"It's true. I myself even tried putting the pieces together in any other way, but he didn't know how much power that man actually had, and when it suddenly ended…"

"It created a void. A void that engulfed everything around it, including the core of our world. Riku…Sora…he didn't do it on purpose…"

"He wont back down from a fight though, so if you still wish to challenge him, you can. He'll win however."

"We can take him."

"No…we can't."

"Kairi? What are you-

"I've seen things through his eyes remember? I know how powerful he is…that Behemoth…three days ago…I never told you…but I wasn't in control of myself. That was all him. Everything I did…he was doing at the exact same second…whatever this link between us is, he holds the keys to it. And because of that, he has a link to my existence that not even Naminé can break."

"Dammit…so…what happens if he dies…before we break the link between you two?"

"I…don't know."

"Logically she would die as well…but…with him, it seems logic likes to take a vacation…anyway, I think I know the real reason you're here."

"Real reason? What 'real reason?'"

"He told me to expect some, and I quote; 'Invited but potentially hostile guests.' I think I can assume that you are they, and that he intended to show you what he found."

"Yeah. That's right."

Again, Sora and Riku whirled over to Kairi.

"What? When he last contacted me and told me to bring you guys here, he said: 'So I can kick their asses and then send you off on your mission. By then, I should have the information I'm looking for.'"

"I think he does. Come, I'll bring you to his room. It's a mess, but in there lies the information we're looking for."

Kairi nodded and began walking with Alicia. Sora and Riku just looked at each other for a moment.

"Why is it that I get the feeling that this time Kairi's going to be leading us around?"

"That Zero guy better not hurt her."

"Well we wont be able to stop him hanging around here."

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter VIII: Discovery**

(BGM: .hack GU – Riddle of the Creator)

_**Long has it been since I first began my quest to reclaim my lost heart. Much has been seen, much has been learned. And now, I write, to inform all who would follow in my footsteps.**_

_**This, is the Report of Xemnas, leader of the Organization.**_

_**Many creatures have I seen over the years that I searched for a method to reclaim my lost heart. Some benign, some malicious, and others…just there. I, along with my followers, have encountered beings such as the Heartless, creatures able to steal the very core of the soul from your body, turning you into one of them. The Nobodies, beings like myself, those who's hearts have been taken, yet our minds were strong enough to remain active in forms created from our memories. And another group…**_

_**These creatures were the strangest of the lot. The majority looking like skeletal beings wielding weapons and armor of the Far East of the Feudal Era of Japan, a location on a planet called Earth. Some however looked like giant boars wielding clubs or maces, and still others could not be described by words. These creatures seemed to have no intent but sheer destruction, for they maimed and destroyed all they came across, however, they were few compared to the sheer number of Heartless and Nobodies in existence.**_

_**Many a time have I myself, along with many of my followers have encountered these beings. As such, I would note that they are notoriously difficult to slay, even for beings of our caliber. The only tactic that seemed to remain constant in reliability was the removal of the head, for their bodies would drop…but the strangest thing was that they bled like living beings, as if at one point they were…normal. After seeing their patterns of wonton desolation, I have dubbed them the Mindless, for they have no focus but to kill and destroy as many as possible before someone does the same to them.**_

_**Normal however they are no longer. After one too many an encounter, I endeavored to research these creatures. It would seem that they originated from this Lost Planet known as Earth. A strange curse befallen the world, a curse leading to its destruction, a curse known as Fate's Decree. I know not what this curse is, I am reluctant to admit, but it raises the memory of fear that my missing heart once felt.**_

_**Upon further research, I found that with the destruction of Earth, set free to the worlds were these creatures. Not long after, Chasers, much like the ones in my memories, did slay a vast majority of these beasts, before creating a seal against them, based in the location that Earth once was…made by Keyblades no less. However there was a catch.**_

_**The seal involved siphoning a small fragment of energy from all the worlds that were once connected to the Lost Planet, which were a vast many. As such, if any of those worlds were to be ended, like Earth, then the seal would weaken to the point of near rupture, and release the creatures upon this universe once again. Indeed I have endeavored not to **_**destroy **_**any of the worlds, for I found that smothering a world in the darkness of which the Heartless spawn does not destroy it, merely displace it. I have commanded my followers not to allow any world be ended in its entirety, even if it means slaying fellow Nobodies to do so. As it stands, these beings pose a dire threat to my plans…**_

_**Perhaps at a later time…when we have reclaimed our lost hearts…we can focus our eyes on erasing this threat forever…**_

"Wow…so Xemnas DID run into these things."

"That world…"

They all whirled around to see Zero leaning against the door frame, looking exhausted.

"Zero, you should-

"Earth…was once my home."

* * *

(BGM: .hack SIGN – Key of the Twilight)

"It was destroyed…about five hundred years ago…"

"Impossible…that would mean you…"

"Before it was destroyed…before Fate's Decree…we had discovered the Magic you all use today. Back then…I was weak, pathetic…but upon realization that my dreams were true, my fantasies could be real…I trained. I studied every spell, every use, every _ideal_ that came with the discovery of Magic. In secret, of course. I had no desire to be around those that shunned me before the world realized those who believed in its existence were right. I gained power…power like you'd never believe…the _WORLD _gained power…and then _they _came. I wasn't around when they originally showed up. That was about two hundred years before I was born. But they came back, and when they did…that was when Fate's Decree hit."

He slowly hobbled over to his bed, cleared some papers off and sat. Alicia sat next to him…and oddly enough Kairi sat behind him, gently massaging his shoulders. By the look on his face you could tell the story was hard to loose.

"I dreamed about it…I had visions of a powerful force rending the world asunder. I warned people I told them that they had to prepare for something big. We weren't meant to excel so far under this power…we had made leaps in technology and knowledge since we discovered it…and we'd learned more in a short amount of time than we were supposed to. But nobody listened…so I prepared. I gathered a group of friends who at least would hear me out, and warned them. After the first set of attacks by unseen forces began, they started their own preparations…but they were too late."

He stared off into space. His hands glowed faintly, the left white, and the right black.

"So I delved deeper into legends…into my own heart…and found a key. Even before magic became reality, I had a theory that there were three powers responsible for this universe's creation. The power of Creation, the power of Destruction, and the power of Chaos, which was the result of Creation and Destruction becoming one. I sought that power to save my world…to save my arrogant people from becoming victims of their own ignorance…and I found them…I found the two halves, hidden on the opposite sides of the planet."

He chuckled emptily.

"Believe me when I say it was no walk in the park. The very core powers were sealed under layers upon layers of protections under very, VERY thick ice on the two opposing poles of my planet. It took me days to just get the first half, which was Creation…and I was tested. Not physically…but mentally. See, Creation and Destruction are two halves of Chaos, a whole. As such they have a slight bit of sentience…you cant just wield them as you wish. Both halves tested my heart, and saw that I only sought the power because I wished to save my world. I didn't care what happened to the power after, though I was certain I'd probably miss it. I gained the power of Chaos itself…became nearly a god…but it was too late. Just as I returned to release the power into the world, to try to create some sort of protection for those who could not protect themselves…Fate's Decree struck."

He rose, and raised his hand, creating a glowing globe. "This, is what my planet looked like…and this…is what happened."

The globe seemed to vibrate, waves of light coming off of it. A strange black mist covered the insides and then spun in a counter-clockwise motion. Energy seemed to gather around the edge of the globe and then they watched as the globe ripped itself apart, before exploding in a massive wave of light.

Not once did Zero look at what was in his hands, the memory playing in his mind just fine.

"Because I had obtained the power of Chaos…I was excluded from the incalculable amount of death that followed. Thrown into the deepest of darkness, the Dark Corridor…for what felt like an eternity, I was suspended in time, kept from aging because I had no world to call my own, no timeline to follow. Mostly I slept…but the protection was slowly dwindling…and for five hundred years…I remained."

Nobody spoke a word. Suddenly there was a blinking light and a small siren sound. Zero blinked and solemnly waved his hand, creating a small window containing scrolling words.

"Odd…according to this there's an unusual spike of Dark Energy at…Wonderland?"

Sora blinked then yelled. "Alice! She's in danger then!"

"You know that place?"

"It was the first world I traveled to with Donald and Goofy."

"Well then we'd best be going."

"You're coming too?"

"I've still got to train Alicia, not to mention Kairi. You two might learn something from me as well. Besides…I hate remembering those times…makes me wanna kill something, so venting on some Heartless sounds like fun."

"Alright, we'll take my ship, it already has the coordinates."

"To Wonderland we go!"

_Wonderland…how strange…it sounds…familiar…_

* * *

Alright, quick AN before I post this and head to work.

DragonWanabe: In the first chapter, Xemnas took Roxas from Sora. Zero now hold's Roxas' existence with his. So Zero can control all the lesser nobodies, and as you can see, Alicia at least has the ability to command Dancers.

D&S Master: Well the attack itself has no name. Zero was just quoting the song and using it as an incantation to release more of his power. And no, Kairi felt no adverse effects due to it being Zero who was in complete control.

RCRS: Indeed. Well, you have my specs for Zero, and it would seem I've won the randomness contest. So, I'll see you again next chapter!

Alright, learned more about Zero, found the next destination, and now they're heading out. Speaking of which, I have to as well. See you all next chapter!


	10. Unleash

"_It upsets you doesn't it?"_

_The fuck?!_

"_It flows through your entire body…the inability to do nothing, and the ire that comes with it."_

_Who the hell?_

"_Constantly it weighs upon your mind like a burden…your ultimate failure."_

_Hey, fuck you alright?! I did the best I could!_

"_But you don't believe that. We believe that, but you do not. Why do you continue to torment yourself with that you cannot change?"_

_Because it was my fault dammit! I could have done more!_

"_You did everything you knew TO do. The destruction was not your failing; your people are to blame."_

_And I'm one of my people; therefore the blame rests on my shoulders as well!_

"_There is no sense to that; there is no logic or reason. Why do you continue to fight? Why do you struggle against the tide of destruction?"_

_Because what happened to my world…doesn't need to happen to any other. Hell I don't even know how long these other worlds have existed…_

"_They came into existence due to the end of your world."_

_Bullshit. Look at these places! They've been around a LOT longer than five hundred years._

"_Indeed, because it was your world that spawned them. They were not able to take form until it was ended…you will see…"_

_The hell are you talking about?! Why am I even talking to you?! I don't even know what the fuck you are!_

"_I am one who knows and sees all that lies within your heart, Zero. I am always watching, always learning."_

_Alright you're starting to piss me off._

"_Good, it means you are listening. This threat is greater than you know."_

_NO fucking shit? Really? I never would have guessed._

"_The worlds that exist now…many of them are at risk of annihilation."_

_No bloody fucking shit Sherlock. That's why I was looking into the cause of this!_

"_At the expense of your own health?"_

………

"_I thought so. You feel it don't you? The call of Destruction. You are just as vulnerable to its pull as any other, perhaps even more so since you bear its mark upon you."_

………

"_Tell me…what is the greater threat to these worlds? The Mindless? Or you?"_

_I am NOT a threat!_

"_Oh? The glowing of the Mark of Destruction says otherwise."_

_Shut it._

"_What's wrong? Can you not handle the truth?"_

_SHUT IT!_

"…_I see…you still have much to learn…but it is alright…I have patience…"_

_Who the fuck are you anyway?!_

"_In time…you will learn…for now…your pretty blonde girlfriend is attempting to wake you."_

_She's not my-_

"_But you wish it so. You have for many centuries now."_

…_you're fucking kidding right? I just-_

"_You did nothing recently that caused your feelings. They have always existed…and I am certain you know what I speak."_

_Impossible._

"_Ha! To hear you of all beings speak such a word…you know it is true. You feel it in your heart, it is why you picked her of all beings to restore to this world."_

_She was the best candidate!_

"_You could have just as easily sought out someone else with even greater strength, and you know of many potential beings. But she called to you, and you know why."_

_Be silent._

"_It is because you lo-_

_  
BE SILENT! Listen and listen well, you know NOTHING of what is happening. Whatever you believe to be the case is FALSE! Now LEAVE!_

"…_very well. But this is not the last you have heard from me…you will see…soon enough…that the truth that you refuse to acknowledge…is the truth that will save this universe…"_

* * *

Alicia stood next to Zero's bed. She saw the marking on his right hand begin to flash black. His eyes twitched as did his muscles, as if agitated. Hesitantly, she placed a hand on his shoulder, prepared for anything. His eyes snapped open, glowing silver, and then returning to their natural brown. He looked over at her and slowly rose.

"We're about to hit a docking point…I thought you might want to be awake to get down there first."

He grabbed his forehead as a small twinge of irritation slammed into his mind like a sledgehammer.

"Yeah…thanks."

"Zero…are you alright? You were constantly twitching in your sleep…"

"I'm fine. I just need to get off this stupid thing…"

"Alright…if you're sure."

She watched him grab a few things and head into the onboard showers. She sighed, knowing he was lying to her.

_Why do I have the feeling something terrible is about to happen? "Maybe because it is?" Oh…it's you again. "Well that's no way to treat a Valkyrie." What do you expect? You took over my mind during the fight against Lezard. I didn't know what was going on until after he'd run me through. "I said I was sorry! I didn't think he'd actually…stab us." Right…_

She shook her head and walked from the room.

"_Not going to wait for him?" Oh come on I'm not going to try to see him without anything on. "Why not? He saw you naked." That was…another circumstance entirely! "Suuure it was. So when are you going to admit you want to jump him?" What?! I don't- "Alicia, I'm in your head, I'm __**you**__. You can't hide something like that from me." …not any time soon. "Well I understand that…he does look like he's about to strangle something."_

Tapping Kairi on the shoulder, she told the girl that Zero had woken.

"He's in the showers now."

"_Somewhere you'd like to be along with him." Dammit Valkyrie shut up!_

Her blush didn't go unnoticed by Kairi.

"Wishing you were in there with him?"

"Oh not you too."

The redhead blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Has Naminé ever…teased you…about having feelings for Sora?"

"All the time."

"Yeah well…Valkyrie's doing that to me about Zero."

"Ahh I see…wait, Valkyrie still exists?"

"Well, my body was used as the template for her reincarnation, and my mind as the base for her personality…so…"

"So since you 'died' while in her form, when you came back she came with you?"

"Yes, only mine is the dominant personality."

"So she's like your Nobody."

"_I can agree to that…at least in context. I don't like being called a Nobody though; I AM Valkyrie, greatest warrior of Valhalla."_

"Something like that."

Sora and Riku came in. "We're ready to go."

"Great! We've just got to wait for-

Zero stormed in, a swirl of faint dark energy trailing around him. The symbol on his right hand was flashing again and as he walked past the group, he vanished into a Dark Corridor.

"I…guess we can go down now then?"

"I guess so."

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter IX: Not So Wonderland**

_Waddle Dee's…Why are there Waddle Dee's here?_

They met up with Alice, who had grown a good bit. No longer was she the little girl Sora encountered and failed to save from the Queen of Hearts. Now she was a similar age to him and the others, and was apparently the new Queen of Wonderland. Instead of a long flowing dress like a queen would wear though, she wore far more casual an outfit, consisting of a pair of blue jeans, a blue denim vest over a white top, and a pair of dark blue shoes.

And a crown, of course. After standard introductions, Zero popped in with a confused and irritated look, and a rather pressing question.

"Why? Why in the Seven Hells of Saturn are there Waddle Dee's here?"

Alice blinked. "Oh, my friend brought them here. Their world was taken over by some weird dark energy so he called over a pink fluff ball called Kirby and brought as many Dee's here as possible."

_You're fucking kidding me…_

"_Ahh…you're beginning to understand…"_

_Shut it you._

"And your friend…"

"OI! FRED! GET YOUR ARSE OVER HERE!"

…_son of a bitch._

A Waddle Dee wearing a red headband trotted over.

"This is Fred. He helped me become Queen of this place not too long ago."

Zero twitched. The mark on his hand started flashing again.

That was when the Heartless appeared.

"Oh shite. Not these buggers again."

"Language Alice."

Alice flung her right arm to the side, in a small flash of light, the Lady Luck keyblade appeared in her hand, surprising everyone.

_What the hell?_

"_Why are you confused? The girl Kairi can use one as well."_

_But…I thought that was because she's-_

"_A princess of Heart? Have you not listened to the memories of the Thirteen? Alice is a Princess of Heart as well. Her World's Keyblade was once used by Sora, and is now hers to do with as she pleases."_

_So what you're saying is that the others can use it too?_

"_They have the potential, but likely they have not released it from its slumber, for they have no need…but…you are beginning to see…to understand…"_

_Shut up. What you're suggesting is impossible._

"_Impossible…but it still is. You feel it don't you? The power within…"_

_Shut up._

"…and next thing I know, this little gem was in her hands!"

"I remembered seeing Sora swinging something like this around when he came here last. So I beat one of those bloody tarts over the head with it and it burst to pieces!"

The mark on Zero's hand began flashing slightly faster.

* * *

(BGM: Marilyn Manson – Seizure of Power)

A Neo-Shadow leapt at Alicia, claws raised. Alicia readied her sword, waiting for the right time to strike…when the opportunity was taken from her.

Zero, in a flicker of movement, had severed the Neo-Shadow in two…in a single slash. As the small burst of dark energy from the creature's demise cleared, the weapon he was using looked…different.

The weapon itself was white, but with strange black spots on it with jagged red lines reaching all along the blade, as if it had been shattered, then shoddily pieced together. The hilt was round, but looked like it had cracks in it, similar black spots at three points, the top middle of the hilt, and the lower left and right sides. The blade itself looked even more deadly than his original keyblade, this time with a sharp edge on one side, but with a very wicked looking angled portion at the tip. No longer did it look like a child's toy, for this weapon looked more blade than key.

The angled portion reached up about a fourth of the length of the blade, long enough to ensnare a weapon…or…as Zero is about to demonstrate…

Flipping the blade around he swung the weapon like a hook, catching the head of another Neo-Shadow in the gap on the weapon. He wrenched the blade back, towards him, pulling the Heartless with it. He then slammed his free hand into the Neo-Shadow's face, before blowing it away with a flash of black flame.

"_That urge to kill…the urge to destroy…it lay within your heart."_

_Shut up._

"_The power of Death, the power of Destruction...they say that a Keyblade reflects the heart of the wielder…"_

_I said, shut up._

Ducking under a claw swipe from a Shadow, Zero cut through a set of Knights before pivoting on his foot and loosing a torrent of lightning from his fingertips. Waving his left hand in the air, he traced a small glowing symbol. As it dissipated, and with a quick gesture of his hands, a giant slab of earth erupted from beneath another group of Knights, throwing them into a pit of flame he conjured seconds later.

A massive wave of black appeared, hundreds, no, thousands of Heartless on the horizon. Before anyone could react, Zero took off at a run, the marks on his hands blazing.

"_Desolation…a keyblade matching the power that lies within you…the power that courses through your veins at this very moment…"_

_Shut up!_

* * *

Kairi dropped to her knees. A powerful throbbing feeling coursed through her mind.

"Kairi! What's wrong?"

"I…I don't know…it just…hurts…so much…"

"_It bothers you doesn't it? Knowing that you were so close to saving your world. That failure runs through your mind constantly doesn't it? Reminding you of your weakness, your failure to protect your people, your world. The very darkness that you were trapped within for centuries courses through your veins, the very power that ended your home at your command…"_

_Shut up! Shut up!_

"_And now…to see the changes brought…you know what it means…you know where it came from…but you can't admit it…"_

_SHUT UP!_

Ducking under the swing of a Knight, he stabbed through a Shadow before whirling around and throwing a literal wall of air to his side, crushing a group of Neo-Shadows. A Red Rhapsody spun in place, launching three fireballs in rapid succession at Zero who twirled his keyblade in front of him like a disk, catching the flame. Then, he slammed his left heel into the ground and spun, creating a blazing ring of death that raced outwards for a few meters, engulfing and obliterating anything in its path. The fires were even too much for the Red Rhapsodies to absorb, the creatures bursting into wisps of darkness.

"_It flows through you…the pain…"_

_Shut up!_

"_The anger…"_

_Shut UP!_

"_The hatred…"_

_Shut up shut up shut up!_

"_Release it…release it all…"_

_Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up…_

The markings flared black as Kairi's headache suddenly vanished…but in its place was knowledge…and fear.

"Oh…fuck…"

Everyone around her blinked as a blank look appeared on her face with her statement.

"…shut up shut up shut up **shut up shut up **_**shut up shut up shut up SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!!"**_

The markings blinking stopped as they became solid black. Around him a deep aura of darkness swirled as a beam of pure dark energy erupted into the sky from where he stood.

From the beam emerged a massive dome of black, the explosion gradually making its way towards the group, devouring everything in its path. Heartless, trees, grass, flowers…even Waddle Dees were destroyed as the wall of death came near.

"NAMINÉ!"

Kairi screamed out the name of her other half, as streaks of blonde suddenly overtook her red locks. A series of black domes surrounded the group, and they vanished…just as the explosion passed over where they stood…

* * *

(BGM: Wild Arms – After the Chaos and Destruction)

"Bloody hell!"

"For once…I'm not going to bother…I'd have said something a lot worse."

The group stood at the edge of a massive crater. Where once there was a beautiful field of flowers…was now a barren waste…however what was strange about it was that the crater reached to the edge of the tree line…and stopped. What remained was what looked like a giant bowl surrounded by trees.

"My gods…this…is Zero's power?"

"Speaking of which, where'd he go?"

Sora frowned. "You don't think he's…dead…do you?"

They turned to Kairi. Well, those that understood did, Alice and Fred seemed to lean forward, squinting.

"I…I don't know…I can't tell…I just keep hitting a wall…"

"**I think that means he's alive…but he's blocking you out. If you were in here you'd understand, there's a giant…well…barrier I guess…made of black fire. I can't get past it, so I'm guessing that's his mental shields."**

"Naminé thinks he's alive…but blocking me out."

"Damn…so where is he?"

"Oi! Sora!"

The spiky hared brunette looked up to Alice. "Ya think he might be on that pillar over there?"

Everyone shared the same thought. _Pillar?_

They all looked to where Alice was pointing. Indeed, there was what looked like a giant pillar sticking out of the ground, in the center of the crater.

"Huh…well I'll be…maybe he's there."

Alicia frowned. "Well that's all well and good, but how are we supposed to get over there? I don't think there's anything I can warp with…"

Sora looked confused for a moment. _What's she talking about?_

"Well, I could probably Glide over…"

"I've got the Mad Hatter's hat, and my Parasol…and Fred's pretty light, so I can carry him along…"

"I could probably open up a dark corridor…so I can at least take Kairi…I haven't done it in a long time, so I don't think I can take more than one…"

They all looked over to Alicia.

"_Well this is a problem." I wouldn't have guessed. "It's mostly a problem because outside of my form, we can't really fly…and Valeth never did teach us that Teleport spell…" I think we'd have to know where we were going in the first place anyway…what about photons? "You said it yourself earlier, it's unlikely anything living is over there, so you wouldn't be able to warp…"_

They watched as a series of emotions cycled over her face, settling on a perturbed frown.

_I know I can manifest wings for Nibelung Valesti…but that's after gathering quite a bit of spiritual power through attacking… "It doesn't help that we don't know much about Dark Corridors, or I could probably devise a way to use them…or maybe even an opposite…Pity we can't use Light to do anything…" Well wait a moment…_

They watched as her eyes narrowed and she nodded to herself.

"I can get over by myself. You go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"You sure?"

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

The group nodded. Riku pulled Kairi close to him and focused. A portal of black opened up, a mirrored portal appearing on the far edge of the 'pillar.' Sora jumped off the edge of the crater and twirled in mid-air before spreading his arms. Somehow using powers unknown to even him, he managed to catch the air beneath him and quickly glide over to the 'pillar'.

At the same time, Alice pulled out a strange top hat from…somewhere, and held it over her head. Fred grabbed on to her legs as the hat lifted her off into the sky, before she switched it for a simple looking parasol…which somehow supported her weight and gently floated her over.

"Now I've seen everything." _"Indeed."_

Alicia closed her eyes and focused…remembering what it was that Zero had taught her.

"_**The element of light is comprised of a fusion between two other elements, wind and fire. Fire, which creates a glow which is basically light, and wind to blow away anything that would obstruct the flame. Because Light as an element can be created by a proper fusion of Fire and Wind, you can also break it down into its respective elements."**_

_All I have to do…is focus on the wind…_

Tapping into the currents of air around her, she lifted herself into the sky, before slowly pushing herself towards the 'pillar'.

"_Zero would be proud of you right now…"_

* * *

As it turns out, the 'pillar' was a rather decent sized stretch of land…the one that Zero stood on when he blew the place to hell.

"Find anything?"

"Nothing. He's nowhere."

"Well…he was able to get to other worlds without a ship before he brought me back…so maybe he was teleported somewhere?"

"…We should probably tell the King about this…"

"Yeah…"

"Hey, Sora. Fred and I can let the other Dee's know what happened here, and have them keep an eye out for your friend if you want. I mean, it sounds like you've got something rather important to do, so don't worry about it, we'll handle things here."

"You sure Alice?"

"Of course! I mean, we won't really have any way of being able to tell you he's here…but…"

Alicia interrupted. "You won't need to. He and Kairi have some form of mental link. All you'd have to do is find him and tell him we were looking for him…he'll come to us through her…or he'll contact her."

"Well that sounds pretty chill right there. We'll head back to the castle and spread the word ok?"

"Yeah…thanks Alice…and…sorry…for…"

"Hey don't worry about it. It took out the bloody Heartless so it can't be all bad. I figure this is a nice enough place for a lake anyway…just need the rain to come."

"_**And remember…no matter what…there is ALWAYS a light within the darkness. That's a lesson…I still have yet to fully learn…"**_

_Zero…_

"Alicia…what do you want to do? Do you want to-

"I'm going with you. Even if he's here, I probably wouldn't know until it was too late. At least with you…I can do what he brought me back to do."

"We can always take you back to your world."

"I know, he said the same…but what is the point if I'm not strong enough to keep it from falling like his? Those things…the Mindless…nothing is stopping them from attacking my world…but if we defeat them at the source…then I can go home knowing it will be safe."

"Zero told you that?"

"It's logical isn't it? He offered to bring me back immediately, but noted the possibility of my world falling…at least…with you…with him…on this quest…I can gain the strength to protect it should it come under fire…my training isn't complete yet…I can tell I can still get stronger…and I will."

"Alright…so to Disney Castle then?"

"To see the King."

Kairi looped an arm around Alicia, who had a few tears running down her cheeks.

"Don't worry ok? I'll let you know the second that wall drops."

"I know…I just…got rather attached to him."

"He seems like the type that can affect people that way doesn't he?"

"Alice, thanks again."

"No problem mate. See ya around."

"Stay safe you guys! It'd break Alice's heart if anything happened to you!"

A green glow appeared beneath the group's feet, and Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Alicia were warped off to their ship, to make way to Disney Castle…

* * *

"_The grip of Destruction has weakened. Now…the two are in balance once again. Your wish to return to your love is strong, but there are things that must be done first. You must strengthen the hold of Creation, for always must it be one step ahead of Destruction. Follow my light to the worlds you must go. We will return here once your control has increased."_

_That such a beautiful land had to be sacrificed for a larger purpose ill sits with me._

"_I promise you this; we can do something about it once you have visited these worlds and obtained that which you require. The Balance is shifting to its true state, but with such a shift comes a change in the universe. We must move quickly, for their numbers grow."_

_Alicia…_

"_She mentioned a lack of wings. Perhaps…you can fix that."_

_I still don't understand how this is possible…_

"_You were the soul survivor of such a horrid event…your life linked to Existence itself, it is no surprise you have had a hand in the flow of the worlds."_

_But to such an extent…_

"_Your return to the known world has shifted things slightly, yes. For good or bad is yet to be seen, but stronger have the inhabitants become from it."_

_To think…my theories as a child were right…_

_That these worlds…_

_Were created…_

_By my people…_

* * *

As you can see, there's been a change. A small shift…but even the smallest of ripples can become a massive wave. More of the side plot has been revealed! A connection between the destruction of "Earth" and the existence of the other worlds? Wonder what it is…and where Zero falls into it. There will be a return to Wonderland later on…and there you will see more of the skills the new Alice has picked up…and whether or not she can actually use the keyblade she's been given.

D&S Master: It took a while, but finally the main enemy has been revealed…or has it? Remember, in the first two games, events had been orchestrated from an outside force…someone…else. What is seen…isn't always what is.

RCRS: Not sure if this is the injustice you were seeking…but hey, shit got blown up! Believe me, she's won the random contest…just…hoo…trust me on this, she's like…I can't even describe it. Besides, she breaks into song nearly every half hour…about the most inane of things…I too hated Wonderland, if only because the enemies were assholic for that point in the game. I just went through the RE:CoM version of it…god DAMN was that irritating!

Those friggin flowers and their friggin 6's! And it's still early so you can't kill them off too easily, not to mention anything higher than a six is hard to come by…but I've been lucky so far…at least attack card wise. GOD DAMMIT YOU FUCKING MOOGLE! STOP GIVING ME DUMBO'S AND SIMBA'S! GIVE ME FUCKING CLOUD'S!

xXJust Fly A KiteXx: I'm calling you Kite until someone else with Kite in their name shows up. I'm glad you like the fic, it's gonna get a bit batshit in the next chapter…but then it'll make sense again.

I'd like to give a special shout out to FredMSloniker of the Something Awful Forums. I don't know you personally, but I read your Alice in Wonderland LP, and holy fuck it was awesome. I hope you don't mind me pulling your rendition of Alice in here and twisting her to fit the story a bit. Plus, fucking Waddle Dee?

From this point on, I'll have a link to the Archive of LP's in my Profile. I keep forgetting. By the way, D&S Master, what was that other thing I meant to send to you other than the link to the LPs? Can't bloody remember for the life of me and I can't be assed to slog through the reviews of all the stories we might have mentioned it on…


	11. Lessons

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter X: Alicia's Lessons**

**One Day Later: Disney Castle…**

Alicia and the others stepped out of the hedge-gate…only to find the castle in shambles. Again. Sora took off towards the throne room, leaving the others to helplessly follow. When he opened the smaller door inside the oversized large doors, he gave a cry of shock.

"Leon!"

Once again, running at full tilt, Sora slid to a stop next to the brunette warrior.

"Holy crap, Cloud too?"

Alicia hung back, seeing as she had no connection to the figures groaning on the floor.

Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cloud and Tifa were slowly getting back to their feet. Mickey and Minnie appeared as well. Alicia, taking the opportunity, asked the question on her group's minds.

"Excuse me but…what happened here?"

Leon pat Sora's hand, signaling to the young Keybearer that he was alright.

"Some guy…came from under the throne…Said something about a chaser and a keyblade…The King seemed to recognize him, calling him the one who put him in that cast he's in now. Well, we didn't take too kindly to that."

Alicia just shook her head. "You fought him and lost. And from the looks of things, pretty badly I might add." She sighed. "At least this proves that he's still alive…"

Kairi frowned. "You didn't believe me?"

"It's not that, I just couldn't be too certain. It could have just been residual psychic energy lying around in your head for all we knew. But this proves it. Zero is alive, and he's wandering…for some reason."

Yuffie rubbed the back of her head. "Hits like a truck…" Aerith nodded while casting a few healing spells on the group. "And he was so fast…not even Yuffie could keep up."

"Hey…Aerith…your voice sounds a bit…different…"

She blushed. "Yeah…sorry…I had a bit of a throat problem when we last met. It's why I sounded all raspy and stuff. But I'm better now."

Sora just nodded, accepting the explanation. Alicia surveyed the damage on the throne room. "You must have really ticked him off…" Everyone turned to her as she pointed to the walls and certain points on the floor. At the edge of their sight were long gashes in the ground and walls.

"He was using Stage 2 of the Shukuchi. He only goes that far when he's really serious, or really annoyed."

"Carved up the place real well."

She shook her head. "No…look closer. If you look carefully enough, you can see it." She motioned for everyone to get a good look at one of the 'scars' on the ground. She kneeled and pointed. "See? Right here, individual footsteps. Stage 2 of the Shukuchi requires the user to move their legs at an incalculable pace. The visual effect produced makes it look like they vanish, and a stream of dust trails around. And the after effect looks like one big ditch, when really it's a series of footprints practically carved into the earth from repeated use."

"Wait…if that was stage 2…then what's stage one like?"

"Still extremely fast movement…but a tad more visible. The legwork is a bit less intense, and the effect looks like a series of dust pillars appearing every second or so. Umm…" She looked around. "Ahh, there! Here, come look." Even the Royalty took a look this time. "An example of stage one." A small but firm footprint inside a very tiny crater. "Stage 1, the user tends to hop more. It's not as fast as stage 2, but it's harder to track because the user is jumping around, rather than flat out running. It's still pretty confined though, because if the user focuses too much on the lunge, then when they land, rather than just a cloud of dust, their body will become visible, and someone with quick instincts can pinpoint the direction they're going to go next."

"Sounds pretty effective." Leon noted.

"It is. The drawback, as I said before, is that it's slower than stage two, but a bit less predictable. The user is still confined to a small path, and basically a straight line, but it's a series of lines…and the important part is knowing how to turn in an instant, to readjust your trajectory, in case you get blocked. The thing is though, Shukuchi…the true power of Shukuchi, is light steps. He must not have been focusing properly if such obvious marks were left behind."

Cloud hefted his sword onto his back. "What do you mean?"

"These marks are similar to the ones I make when I use stage one…well, Stage 1 is the only part I can use right now…he said, and it's embarrassing but I quote: 'You've got really _nice _legs, and they're pretty strong, which is probably why you can get so much air for your more elaborate attacks, but they aren't yet strong enough for Stage 2.' I swear he's a damn pervert…"

Kairi just laughed and agreed. "You have no idea…"

Alicia just flushed and continued. "In order to even begin to learn Stage 2, you have to be able to perform stage one, without making such obvious a mark. I'm getting there, but I just can't get the hang of it yet."

Yuffie, always eager to see a new move couldn't keep it in. "Can you show us?" Alicia blushed but slowly nodded. She motioned to Kairi.

"I can't do it without a target yet…so just…stand there and get ready to move…ok?"

Kairi nodded, standing in position. Mickey sat up straight, wanting to learn more about the enigmatic young man who had not once, but twice lay waste to him and his castle.

Alicia sighed closed her eyes and began hopping from foot to foot. "Ugh, I don't know _why _I have to do this every single time…dammit. 'It's to prepare you for the sudden shift in movement.' He says." Her skirt bounced up and down slowly, revealing well toned legs. Alicia shook her head and counted. "One-two, one-two, one…" In her mind everything seemed to slow as her eyes snapped open in mid step, just as both feet were at an equal distance from the ground. "Two!" Her right foot touched the ground…and she vanished.

"Wow!"

Pillars of dust appeared. The first, a few meters away from where she vanished from, and slightly to the right. Another, further ahead, and to the left. Another even further to the left, but slightly back. Unknown to the others, Kairi was easily tracking Alicia's movements. Sensing danger, the second sight, the power of Zero's eyes activated themselves, and she saw mass of black bounding its way to her. While the others could only see where she was, Kairi was able to see where Alicia was going to be. As Alicia closed in, just before impact, Kairi raised her left arm in a block, completely nullifying Alicia's punch.

"Holy crap!"

"But…dammit that's what _he _does!"

Kairi smiled brightly. "It's because he can see you move. Maybe he can do it because he was training you, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's because of his eyes."

"His…eyes…wait…you could see it too?"

"I've got that power from him…I could see every move you made. Barely, but it was enough to get an idea of where you were going to go."

"Damn…I'm still not fast enough…"

"Don't be so hard on yourself. I don't know a thing about Suku..whatever, but I can tell you're pretty good at it. I just had an unfair advantage is all."

Alicia sighed anyway. Cloud asked something that was weighing on his mind.

"You said Stage 2…but…that's not it is it?"

"No…there are Four main stages, and then the true Shukuchi. The third stage is like the first, only with the intense speed of the second thrown in, and it's a LOT harder to track. Once you master the second stage, you can move fast enough to temporarily defy gravity, which is why you can see those scars on the walls as well. The third stage takes the speed of the second stage, and combines it with an enhanced version of the unpredictability of the first. With the ability to defy gravity added in, the randomness now has a new dimension it can use, which means the user can literally jump all over the place, bouncing from wall to ceiling to floor to ceiling to wall to wall…"

Tifa had a bright smile on her face. "Sounds like it's perfect for a martial artist…"

"It was originally designed for Swordplay, Zero said…but I saw him use it for other things, so hand to hand combat is an option."

Riku cut in. "Tell us about the fourth stage."

"Pure, blinding speed. Take the first stage, reduce the amount of steps you take, and triple the speed. Most only get up to the fourth stage, as it requires the least amount of steps, and is the most efficient form of movement outside of battle."

"And the True Shukuchi?"

"I've only seen it once…and that was only so Zero could show me what it looked like…" She blushed heavily this time. _Come on Alicia…you can do this. If it was me doing it to him he'd laugh his ass off when he retold the tale. _"I blinked…I didn't even feel a thing…and to this day I _swear _up and down there was some sort of temporal manipulation involved…"

Aerith leaned forward, ever the gossip. "What happened?"

"I blinked…and in the span of a second…before I could even turn around…before I noticed anything had happened…" She blushed again, her face becoming almost beet red. "You have to understand, we were in a VERY big room, like maybe half the length of this one. I didn't even realize it…but when I turned around, not even a second later…after just one blink…he was all the way at the doorway, standing there, leaning against the wall…the most smug looking smile on his face."

Yuffie gave a very girlish squeal, her inner gossip taking over. "What did he do?"

"It…took me a minute to understand. But…in his hands…" It looked like even her neck was blushing now. "In his hands…in a split second…he'd somehow managed…"

The guys had to hold back a chuckle at how flustered she was.

"He'd gotten a hold of the undergarments I was wearing."

The girls eyes widened in shock. Sora, Riku, Donald and Goofy, who had shown up while Alicia was demonstrating, fell to the ground roaring with laughter.

Kairi was stunned. "You didn't feel a thing?!" Alicia shook her head, still blushing. "At the very least all I felt was a very light breeze."

Tifa was completely taken aback. "Let me get this straight. He pulled down and around your legs, your panties, and at the same time unhooked AND gotten your bra off, all in the same second, and you only felt a slight breeze at best?!"

Alicia nodded. "And your clothes weren't disturbed at all?!" Alicia shook her head. Tifa fell flat on her ass in shock. "But…that's impossible…"

Leon just shook his head and smirked. "Kicked my ass or not…that guy's got balls…gotta remember to buy him a drink some day."

All the girls yelled. "LEON!"

A voice rang out. "Ouch man. That's totally the worst thing to say around so many girls."

Everyone stopped. Moments later a dome of black appeared…and from within…

"ROXAS?!"

* * *

"So…that's where he got to…I was wondering why I felt a bit…lighter."

"_Indeed. The darkness of the Keybearer is now with its Light. And you are one step closer to completing this phase of your mission."_

"Yeah…just gotta pick up a couple more things…I'm glad Ammy let me have that scroll. Can't believe my luck finding those rings though."

"_Floating in space…where they were left."_

"I think there's one…on Alicia's world."

"_There is. There are many now. You have been gone for quite some time."_

"I guess it's almost time to head back. Hopefully this will work…"

"_Only time…will tell."_

* * *

Alright, crappy chapter, I know. But it's something, and lets me move the fuck on finally. I hope you enjoyed Alicia's embarrassment. Roxas fans rejoice, the blond is back. Speaking of Blondes, I've got an interesting role for another one…

RCRS: There will be a return to Wonderland, in which you'll see more of non whiny Alice. It'll probably happen next chapter actually. I'm glad I could make it bearable. Also…I need to find a site with images of Ansem in multiple forms, and a sound clip of his SUBMIT! Line. Then, I'm going to fuse them into a ymtd thingie, and post it somewhere…hopefully make someone have nightmares about it.

D&S Master: The voice…well, even I'm not too sure who it is. And honestly, Zero had the idea to fix Wonderland himself, the Voice just agreed with his thoughts. The Voice is Female, by the way, just to clarify. And…now that I think about it, I DO know who it is…

Taeniaea: Thanks, glad you enjoy it.

Shitty chapter, but explanation of one of Zero's and now Alicia's many abilities! Who is Ammy? Well, a gamer should know. What rings was he talking about that were in space? Again, gamer should know, but it's a bit vague, no hints though. Why did he go BACK to Disney Castle? Well, to quote Lewis Black: "Pay more attention next time, FUCKERS!"

Also, GET PERSONA 3 FES! YOUR GOD COMMANDS IT!


	12. Return

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter XI: Return**

(BGM: Wild Arms Alter Code F – Holy Mother of Darkness)

**??**

"So…there was a survivor…" A glowing screen hovered in a black void. The screen showed multiple things at once…but was currently focused on one particular warrior.

"To think…the power of Existence would be stronger than mine…hmph…that meddlesome Death…she aids him here as well?"

The sounds of chains rattling could be heard.

"I was only fulfilling my duty! That world was destroyed for its insolence! And even my own sisters betray me…claiming me a Moirae no longer. Death herself sealing me beyond the void, sleeping eternal…until that boy appeared again. Escaping not only my own, but the others' sight as well…those 'Dark Corridors'…shadowed pathways between worlds...used by both Light and Dark alike in their attempts to maneuver between realities outside their own. Those damn Chasers…locking me in here like some rabid animal! I cannot make a move with Death watching him so closely…But no…one cannot be a Weaver without subtlety…I have just the plan for this…"

A series of glowing grey orbs appeared before the speaker.

"Go now…my children. He weakened my seal already…and with a little…push…it will be destroyed by his hand. Go now, to the worlds of his creation…"

The orbs flew off into the distance. "And now…I wait. One cannot be a Weaver without patience…after all…"

* * *

**Wonderland…**

"I see what you mean Alice…these hideous creatures are unlike any we've ever encountered. Even the Heartless didn't attack in such numbers…"

"Weren't as bloody difficult to kill either."

"Alice!" "War time Fred, language should be the last thing on your mind." "That's beside the point!"

The Queen of Hearts, in all her royal fatass glory cut in. "Enough bickering! They come again!"

Soldiers of all forms, Men, Women, Cards, even Animals raised their arms in preparation. Alice held her hand out, a glowing light appearing within. The Lady Luck flashed into existence and the young teen Queen tied her hair back with a pink ribbon. Wearing a dress she had designed specifically for battles such as this, the young Queen was prepared.

"Alright, CHARGE!"

The army, led by Alice and her Keyblade, ran full tilt at the coming beasts. Lizardmen, armored Skeletons, strange insect like things with four legs and swords and armor…and giant hulking suits of metal and flesh. The Mindless charged as well, the two armies clashing in a storm of blood and sword. Alice fought wholeheartedly, using what little training she had to use her smaller form to be as nimble as possible, evading swings left and right, and driving in potshots of her own.

"Bloody HELL! Even this thing doesn't work on them!" "Our weapons aren't working! They just won't die!"

WHAM! A large boar-like beast slammed its club into Alice, sending her flying away.

"SHITE that hurt…"

"ALICE!"

"Not the time Fred!"

"No! Not that, LOOK OUT!"

The blonde Queen looked up, rubbing the blood from the side of her mouth away with her hand. She saw a giant black mass in the air, falling right towards her.

"Oh…bugger."

THOOM

"ALICE!"

Everything seemed to stop as the impact of the giant beast kicked up a massive cloud of dust. Alice's allies stood in horror; even the Queen of Hearts' mouth was agape.

Suddenly, there was a strange beam of light gently streaming from the cloud of dust. In moments the beam became a massive pillar that forced the dust cloud to spiral around it and wrench itself apart. When the light faded, in the center was Alice safe and sound…and in the arms of…

"Hey! It's that guy! Zero!"

The young queen stared in shock up at the traveling warrior's face. He smiled down at her.

"You ok Princess?"

"I…uhh…yeah…yeah I'm alright." _Bloody HELL he's cute!_

"Good." He gently placed her down. "Can you still fight?" She nodded. "Even better. Call off your allies. Enough of their blood has been shed today. This battle will be up to us."

She looked confused, but from what Sora's group told her, this guy knew what he was doing.

"Everyone! Fall back!"

"WHAT?!"

"JUST DO IT!"

Reluctantly, the army disengaged from the enemy.

"Think you can keep up?" His keyblade, Desolation appeared in his hands in a wave of dark energies. The only response he got was Alice summoning her own weapon and holding it like a dagger. Zero smiled.

"Good."

(BGM: Burn My Dread –Reincarnation Persona 3 – Unavoidable Battle)

"Try not to fall behind too much, and keep your wits about you. If you can't keep up just aim where I tell you." _She can't see the points of death like I can…therefore she can't manipulate them as I can. However…those points represent fated Death, forcing the victim to rend itself asunder from it…at the very least, I can pinpoint areas where her weapon will do the most damage. I just hope she's accurate enough to do it._

He pulled back, and then charged forward, vanishing after the second step.

"Bloody SHITE he's fast!" _Cute or not I can't just sit back and let him beat me!_

She too ran forward. By the time she reached the actual battle, no less than five of the smaller creatures had been taken out, a flicker of grey all she saw as Zero's arms blurred. She pushed as much energy into her legs as she could and leapt to the air, crashing down on the head of a skeleton, caving its brain in, and turning it to bloody chunks that disintegrated after a moment or two.

Ducking under another's swing, she sliced through the face of another one, stunning it, then pivoting on her left heel and kicking it away. Her instincts flared danger and she used the one leg she was standing on to push off the ground into a loose spiral as one of the larger walking armors brought its gigantic blade down where she once stood. The vacuum created by the displacement of air from the swing sucked her in closer though. She gave a small start as the giant being brought its shield arm back to plow straight through her, when a flicker of black and grey entered her vision.

Within moments, and a series of flashes of grey, the beast's entire arm was severed in four places. Alice clambered to her feet and jumped at its head, right over Zero, who threw his arm out to let her land on it. Somehow, she did.

"Aim for the point between its eyes! It's the only part of his head you'll actually hit!"

With a mighty lunge he threw her into the air where she followed his instructions, jamming her blade into the creature's head, causing it to roar in agony and smack her away. She flew back a bit then flipped over, skidding on her feet. _Damn good thing this outfit didn't include heels…they would've snapped right then._

It wasn't dead, but Zero soon remedied that. Kicking off the ground he shot into the air and vanished. A series of flickers appeared around the demon's chest before it suddenly burst into shreds. Zero landed, his keyblade in one hand, and Alice's in the other. He tossed it to Alice who nodded her thanks, whirling around and cutting through a Lizardman's neck.

"There! That's the leader! We kill that, everything else dies!"

It was a giant egg.

No.

It was a giant Humpty-Dumpty.

"Oh…shit…"

Those who were watching the battle immediately turned to Fred.

"Oh no…ohohohohoooo noooo…anything but that…"

"What? What is it?" The White Queen asked.

"This isn't good. This isn't good at all."

"Speak marshmallow or my cards will roast you!"

"Before Alice became Queen…Humpty-Dumpty made some…rather unpleasant comments towards her person."

Alice just froze in place. Zero stopped too, wondering why she just stopped moving like that…then he saw the look on her face. Blinking he looked over to what she was looking at.

Then he smiled.

It was the most frighteningly disturbing smile any of them had ever seen on a person.

He bowed to her and flickered over to where the bystanders were.

"Wha-What are you doing?!"

"Just biding my time. Alice will handle this."

Fred immediately whirled around to Zero.

"This is gonna be fuuuun."

A group of lesser Mindless tried to attack Alice…but a wave of invisible force just knocked them back. The ground beneath her feet crumbled inward as her clothes and hair fluttered in a soundless wind created by the waves of pure _hate _radiating from her body. The giant Humpty-Dumpty noticed Alice.

"Well, if it isn't the Surkey. I do believe you've gotten smaller. It must be due to your stupidity then."

Zero's smile widened. Alice twitched.

"Well I have more important things to do than converse with a stupid Surkey, thus I shall be-eh?"

The young Queen tensed…and vanished, a cloud of dust left in her wake. The giant egg blinked.

"By the way, does anyone want to know how I usually prefer my eggs?" Zero asked.

Alice reappeared in front of him, fist pulled back, a look of sheer loathing in her eyes along with the most demented smile on her face. The egg-man's face turned into pure terror, before the girl slammed her fist right between his eyes.

"**SCRAMBLED, BITCH!"**

**CRACK-BOOM!**

The force of the blow literally _shattered _the talking egg's face. Zero took that as his cue and pulled out his keyblade, firing a beam of silver light from it into the hole created when Alice's fist caved its face inward. The giant egg became engulfed in silver light…and then burst into particles.

(BGM: Chrono Cross – Predicament)

The young girl dropped from the air, falling through the glowing orbs, her anger fading. Zero appeared in her path, catching her and landing safely.

"Hey…you alright Princess?"

The girl nodded. He set her down as the others gathered around. She slowly stood, wobbling and shaking her head.

"My…I don't think I've ever been so angry in my life…"

"This world should be safe now. Heartless will probably pop up every now and then, but that's a good thing…keeps the people on their toes and from becoming stagnant. Those zombie demon things though, they shouldn't be back ever again."

Alice nodded. "You have my thanks."

"Also…I fixed that hole for you."

"Hole?" then it dawned on her. "Oh…the Hole."

"Yeah…I think you'll like it. Now, as much as I'd like to stay, my head is pounding something fierce, which means Kairi's in over her head. God this will be what, the fourth time I've saved a princess?"

Alice giggled. "Well, I'm out. Laterz."

A dome of black surrounded and engulfed him. When it faded, he was nowhere to be found.

Alice and the others decided to investigate the "Hole." When they did, they gasped in shock.

Where once there was a horrible crater…now was a beautiful crystal blue lake. Sakura blossoms decorated the lake's edge, stone piers for docking small boats were scattered around, beautiful flowers floated in groups along the lake's surface…and where the pillar was, was now an island of beautiful trees and flowers, its own three piers around its edge. Fish occasionally jumped out of the water…and if they looked far enough, there was a small river, feeding the lake, leading into the forest.

"It's…beautiful…"

* * *

Within the Dark Corridor, silver glow around him as he propelled through the darkness, Zero felt Alice's amazement and smiled. _Hang in there Alicia…just one more thing to be done…and we can travel together again…_

* * *

A chain shattered.

"Yes…my plan has worked…even Death did not notice…soon…soon I will be released…"

A maniacal laugh rang through the void…

* * *

Pretty intense chapter. Who the hell is talking? Damned if you know. Of course, if you're good at puzzles, you might have figured it out…

RCRS: Yes, some people have the skill of not getting it. I'm glad you were amused. Now, you get to see Alice not suck. And if you want to REALLY understand the "SCRAMBLED BITCH" part, you should read the LP. Link is on my profile.

D&S Master: Sorry about that, but I needed you all to know that the voice was female, this way it would be heard accurately in your minds as you read. The NEW voice however…that will be revealed later on. As for what Zero's been doing…you'll find out soon enough…


	13. Light and Shadow

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter XII: Release of Light and Shadow**

**Valhalla…**

(BGM: Persona 3 – Sake Rare no Tatakai)

A lance was thrust into the side of a Skeleton. The holder pulled back then pivoted on their left foot, dragging the Skeleton along and around, to be then riddled with multiple arrows before being lifted, then slammed backwards into the ground behind the holder.

Hrist sneered as she noted the attacks were barely hurting it, even when infused with energy. Slowly twirling her spear, she pulled back and thrust forward once, spun on the tip of her left toe, jabbing it in the stomach with a backwards thrust, then flipping it around her while righting herself, delivering a final, more powerful thrust to its midsection.

It was then that Lenneth, the eldest of the three Valkyrie sisters, slid towards the Skeleton, knocking it off its feet and then delivering a deadly vertical slash to its torso, followed by an equally deadly horizontal swing at its neck. The combined attacks finally broke through, and the creature fell to the ground in a spray of green blood and then disintegrated.

All over the Hall of the Gods, Einherjar and even Gods were battling these creatures. Even Freya's potent beams were barely inflicting any damage. And then there were the newcomers…

Sora, Kairi, Riku, Roxas and Alicia had all arrived after Alicia somehow teleported off the ship and entered the fray. Even with her new training, it wasn't enough to stave off such a massive flow of Mindless. Even Odin was beginning to feel the strain.

"Blasted demons! How is it we've not yet slain their ranks?!"

Alicia frowned as she ducked under the swing of a giant armored man-demon. Her sword did little, for every time she swung it would guard with the gigantic shield it had on its left arm, and counter with that huge sword. She tried kicking it…but it just hurt her foot and almost got her split in two from its amused swing.

Kairi and the others were fairing a tad bit better. Mostly Kairi due to her new power. Though faint and few at this point, she could still see the Death Lines on her targets. Arms and legs, and occasionally heads went flying with every swing she made. Her skill had indeed improved, but the deciding factor was definitely her power. Alicia would admit, she was a tad bit jealous of Kairi. Kairi's eyes were the same as Zero's, if a bit weaker, and they also held that mental connection. Alicia flushed slightly at that, as the question of whether that meant every thought flowed through her mind. Distracted as she was, she narrowly evaded a swing from the giant.

_Damn…at this rate…we're going to tire before we beat these things! Even with this sword…I'm not strong enough…Zero…if you were here…you'd be able to finish these monsters off! But…you're not…and I have to fight alone again…even Silmeria…Hrist…and Lenneth…even Odin himself isn't strong enough! Sora…Riku…Kairi…and Roxas…they're better at defeating these monsters because of their weapons and skills…but my spells aren't strong enough…I haven't regained my old skills…I'm weak and I hate it! I want to be stronger, I AM stronger…I just…can't feel it… Zero…please…help me…help me be stronger…help me beat these things!_

**Unknown…**

"Damn…she's not doing too well. Fuck…I gotta do it." Floating through a Dark Corridor, Zero motioned. A glowing orb of white light appeared in his hands. "Alright you. I wanted your power for myself, cause God knows I could use another Light ability…but there's someone out there who needs your power more than I do. Go to her, she will be your new master. I won't get there in time enough to help her, but you can, and you will. So help me if something happens to her because you didn't feel like obeying a human, let alone a female, I will rend your soul asunder and leave naught but your power left."

The orb lifted out of his hands and rocketed off into the distance.

_Hang in there Alicia…I'm almost there…_ _"That may be, but when you DO get there, you have something else you have to do first…the plan must continue if we are to destroy another." I know. At least I can help them before I do it…_

No sooner did she make that mental plea, did the creature in front of her knock her away with its shield arm.

"ALICIA!"

She groaned and looked up. Everything seemed to slow. The Mindless giant had its sword raised over its head. Silmeria…Lenneth…even Hrist started running to the girl, trying to reach her before it did. The sword came down. Slowly, as if through water, the world moved. And then…moments before the giant slab of metal molded into a weapon impacted on her body of flesh and blood…a glowing sphere appeared in between them, engulfing the girl with blinding white.

"Wh-what?"

"**Girl who's soul resonates with the power of Creation…I am Beowulf, third guardian of the demon tower. I have been sent to assist you in your battle against the Unknown. Will you allow me to fight by your side?"**

"Sent…Zero…sent you?"

"**The one who bears the soul of Existence gave of me this task. If it is your will, I shall grant you my strength eternal."**

"Please…help me…"

"**Very well. Take my blessing and go forth, child of Creation. May your foes forever quiver in fear of the strength of your brilliance."**

All this, happened in the span of a second. When things picked back up, the sword came down on the glowing girl, only to be halted with a mighty clang. The light bent and twisted and then wrenched itself away, dispersing and leaving behind Alicia…with the sword caught between her arms…arms that bore strange grey gauntlets with glowing white lines.

(BGM: Devil May Cry 3 – Arkham Battle 2)

She gave a shout and thrust her arms out, forcing the giant to stumble. She pulled her right fist back and kicked off the ground, delivering a jaw shattering right hook to its face, the force of the blow toppling it. She flipped over and everyone saw a pair of greaves on her feet, in the same style as her gauntlets, looking like an animal's hind legs. She made three rotations and brought her right heel down on the center of the demon's chest, causing it to give a pain-filled roar and then burst into a spray of blood and energy.

Seeing the new threat, the other creatures all charged for her. In a move that surprised everyone, she just smiled. _This…this is the power I've been wishing for…something that can push me beyond just being a psudo-valkyrie…something that would make me…me!_

As the creatures charged her she spoke.

"I am Princess Alicia of the Kingdom of Dipan…" She placed her right leg behind her, balling her fists and tensing her muscles.

"And I'm gonna kick your sorry asses into next week!"

As a group descended upon her, she gave a small hop and slammed her fist into the ground. A split second later, a massive pillar of light erupted from where she stood, engulfing both her and the creatures…but only the creatures were effected, their bodies being ripped to shreds from the force of the maneuver.

She wasn't done yet though.

Alicia kicked off the ground, utilizing both Shukuchi and natural speed to make her way to the next biggest Mindless demon. She pushed off the ground with her right foot, pulling herself into a tight spinning motion. After a few revolutions she extended her left foot, slamming it into the face of a boar-like creature. It snarled in pain as she landed only to pivot on her left foot and smash it in the gut with her right. The roundhouse kick forced it to stumble back slightly, and the girl then jumped in the air…and something strange happened.

A white glyph, comprised of three circles with parts of them overlapping, forming a triangular shape appeared beneath her feet, and propelled her even higher. She curled into a ball spinning rapidly, and then extended her right leg, slamming it down on the monster's skull…and carving straight through its entire body like a knife. The demon split in half and then burst into particles.

It was then that a bunch of Skeletons and Lizardmen tried to jump her…but she was prepared. Combining her Valkyrie abilities with the new enhancement to her Light element gained from the weapon she wore, a faint light appeared on her back as she curled into a ball again…energy swirling around her.

"Blasted demons…"

The light intensified and seemed to form four points on her back.

"BE GONE!"

She instantly extended her arms and legs, forcing the small orb of energy around her outwards. The energy became a pillar of light with three faint rings of power around it as four shining white wings emerged from her back in a flurry of feathers.

Though still ethereal, like the Valkyrie's wings, they seemed brighter…more solid somehow.

"Four wings?! How is she doing this?!"

Alicia quickly proved that the wings weren't just for show. With a few flaps, she launched herself for the nearest group of demons. Spinning her body, she landed a right kick to the side of a Lizardman's head, which was followed by a left heel in the chest of an Ogre, then succeeded by a backhand to the face of a Skeleton. She flew straight into the face of a _Marcellus _the giant armored man-demon _shattering _its shield with a single punch and then following up with a series of blindingly fast strikes that left behind impressive looking dents in its armor. The maneuver knocking the demon-man off balance, she flapped again, took to the air and drove her foot into its chest before throwing her weight backwards, forcing herself into an arc where she crushed the Marcellus' jaw with her other foot.

The demon was launched into the air where Alicia appeared in front of it, fist glowing. She pulled back and then swung forward, not only impacting the man-demon, but sending a rather large wave of light energy down to the ground as well.

She landed and gathered her remaining power. Beneath her, a small glyph appeared as glowing pink feather shaped energy particles flowed around her.

"**Sacred light, shine down upon my foes and rend their souls for time eternal!"**

She swung her arm to the ground, incanting the name of the spell she wish to cast.

"**Judgment!"**

The area seemed to blacken. Beams of piercing white erupted from glowing rifts in the air, slamming down upon the ground and incinerating all Mindless they touched. With this last spell…she eradicated the remains of the army.

"**It would seem he was correct…you are quite worthy…"**

The wings faded from Alicia's back as she fell to her knees, panting. Kairi and the others rushed over to her aid.

"Ok, I'm not impressed that often, but damn you did a crazy job there Alicia."

Alicia gave a faint smile and nodded…then her eyes went wide with horror. The others whirled around to see all the particles of Mindless they destroyed gathering together into one giant creature. It looked like a much eviler version of the Marcellus.

"Oh…crap."

(BGM: .hack game music perfect collection – Phase 1: Skeith)

Suddenly the world darkened again.

"**Tenkou mitsukuru tokoro ware wa ari."**

A purple glyph appeared beneath the armored demon, comprised of straight lines in a cross formation, with giant circles between the lines.

"**Yomi no mon hiraku tokoro nanchi ari."**

The circles pulsed with light, and beams of energy lanced up from them. The beams seemed to arc their way and come together above the armored being, which was staring skyward in confusion. The now single giant beam fired into the sky…a sky now marred with dark black clouds crackling with electricity.

"**Ide yo! Kami no Ikazuchi!"**

The clouds seemed to spiral around the point where the beam entered, a purple mist appearing around the ring of clouds.

"**INDIGNATION!"**

A massive lance of forked purple lightning instantly shot down from the ring of clouds. The sheer level of intensity of the electrical attack instantly incinerated the man-demon, leaving nothing behind but a small crater.

As the hall returned to normal, amazed and fearful looks on both God and Einherjar alike, a single figure stood.

"Zero!"

The young warrior raised his head, a strange look in his eyes. He took one step and then seemed to blur out of existence for a split second, suddenly appearing much closer to the group than before.

"Whoa, how'd you-

Alicia suddenly tensed. Zero raised his hand…and then flung it to the side. A sudden pulse of energy ripped through the group, knocking them all to random points of the chamber. He blurred again. Kairi gave out a sharp cry.

"Kairi?!"

They all looked up and saw Zero with his hand _inside _Kairi's chest. The girl had an agonized look on her face, tears streaming down her cheeks…eyes pleading with Zero to stop…whatever it was he was doing. He simply gave her a cold blank look, and slowly withdrew his arm. But from the glowing rift inside her chest came not just his hand…but his hand containing a small black sphere with a white gem inside it. Kairi dropped to the ground in pain, clutching her chest.

Zero stepped away from her and Riku tried to attack but suddenly froze in mid-air. Zero turned his head to look at him, and Riku was repelled flying at an extremely fast pace into a pillar where he bounced off and landed on his face.

An aura of black surrounded Zero.

"If you want answers…come to where the Mage stole the Sacred Lance and defeated the God."

A dome of black surrounded and engulfed him…and when it disappeared, he did as well.

Kairi slowly got to her feet, as did the others. Sora immediately ran over to Kairi as Roxas pulled Riku to his feet.

"You ok?"

"Yeah…damn, my back hurts though…"

"Kairi! Kairi what did he do to you?"

"I…I don't know…it…it just hurt. I don't feel any different…_What do you think Naminé?_" Nothing. _Naminé? Naminé answer me! _Then it dawned on her. "He…he did something to Naminé!"

"What?"

"He said if we want answers…but…what the hell was he talking about?!"

Odin cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention.

"I believe he was referring to Yggdrasil…the tree of life. Perhaps he has fled to the top of Yggdrasil."

"Where is this place?"

Alicia cut in. "It's not far from here, in fact very close. But it's dangerous…many traps and Divinity Voids exist along the way. I'll come with you since I know the way."

"So will we!" Silmeria spoke. "I want to see for myself the power this human wields…that he would be able to eliminate in one attack that which would have taken all of our power."

The other Valkyrie nodded. "I shall accompany you as well. If he knows this world's past…he may know something else of interest for us."

"But…Lord Odin-

"It will be fine Freya. I trust you can keep this place safe for now on your own?"

"Y-yes…my Lord."

* * *

After a series of nearly deadly traps…they finally made it to the top. A beautiful plateau of crystalline objects floating in the ether.

"Amazing…"

"Damn, there's nobody here…"

"I wouldn't say that…"

A voice Sora and the others knew well spoke. A figure stepped out from behind a crystal pillar.

"Naminé!"

The girl looked different however. Where she once wore a white spaghetti strap dress, it was now black, decorated with strange looking markings. Her hair had grown, down to the small of her back, and was pulled into a ponytail with two bangs framing her face.

Kairi ran to hug the girl but time seemed to slow as Naminé glowed a faint yellow.

**雷 **(Ikazuchi: Thunder/Lightning)

Suddenly, Kairi jumped back as a giant obstruction in the shape of a bolt of lightning colored yellow appeared in her path, crackling with electricity.

"What the heck was that?!"

"Her new power."

From behind another pillar came Zero.

"What did you do to Naminé?!"

"I did nothing but give her what she wanted…and then some."

(BGM: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann – Nikopol)

**風 **(Kaze: wind)

A sudden pulse of air knocked Sora, Riku and Roxas backwards into Alicia's group.

**光 **(Hikari: Light)

Suddenly a wall of energy appeared between them. Naminé raised her right arm and a weird looking Keyblade appeared in her hand. Her eyes narrowed at Kairi who was looking very confused.

"N-Naminé…what are you doing?"

"I'm going to prove myself. I will no longer be your shadow…I will be myself!"

She glowed red.

**火 **(Hi: fire)

Kairi jumped out of the way as a giant sphere of red engulfed where she stood, its arrival accompanied by a brief flash of an infinity symbol.

**迅 **(Jin: fast)

Naminé suddenly appeared in front of Kairi, arm pulled back. In moments, the blonde swung her weapon, smashing Kairi in the face and knocking her into the wall of light. The redhead ducked under the follow up attack and narrowly evaded a stream of light that arced its way from Naminé's hand.

"Wait a minute…that looks…that's that Knight's Keyblade!"

Riku and the others looked at Sora. "Knight?"

"Yeah, this guy in like…golden armor! Man he was tough! He kept going on about Xehanort and stuff, but his Keyblade was intense!"

Further examples were given as Kairi tried to make an attack on Naminé, only to be knocked back by a ring of swirling energy that erupted from where the blonde slammed the keyblade onto the ground. The blonde then flicked her wrist, turning the keyblade into an energy whip again. The stream of light wrapped around Kairi's ankle and slammed the girl into the ground. Naminé glowed dark blue.

**雨 **(Ame: rain)

Out of nowhere, a torrent of rain fell from the sky. Kairi tried to get up only to gasp in horror as Naminé glowed yellow again.

**雷**

Like before, a giant yellow lightning bolt slammed into the ground…only this time, Kairi was horribly electrified as at once, all the moisture in both air and water carried the electrical currents to her, the massive buildup of energy knocking her into the air.

Naminé glowed green.

**結 **(Ketsu: bind)

A group of green vines erupted from the ground and wrapped around Kairi's body, holding her in place. Naminé then flipped her keyblade over, holding it by the striking end. The hilt split in two and opened up like a container of sorts. Rings of light appeared around the hilt and slightly in front of it as a giant orb of energy formed in between the two openings.

"It ends here!"

The orb of power launched itself and slammed into Kairi, who loosed a pained scream of agony. There was a small explosion and the barrier of light shattered…and Kairi dropped to the ground.

"KAIRI!" Sora and Riku ran over to the fallen redhead while Roxas just looked at Naminé.

"What's your deal Naminé?! Why'd you do that?"

From everywhere, but nowhere, a voice that few recognized rang out.

"What does it matter? She performed admirably for someone who just recently acquired such power…"

From a glowing rift came a man with brown hair down to just below his ears, glasses…and the purplest outfit any of them had ever seen.

"Impossible!"

"And yet here I am. You fools…I told you I was a God…I cannot be defeated so easily!"

Alicia spoke the name of the man before them…the man that had caused her so much grief and trouble.

"Lezard…Valeth…"

* * *

WHOO! Alright! Lezard's back! But wait…where did Zero go? Why did Naminé suddenly flip out like that? And where the HELL did she learn those moves?!

RCRS: Zero Shinzaki. He doesn't have a middle name, but his nickname is "Shinigami" AKA God Slayer. At times he'll also go by the name Xenmaru, but that's only when he's REALLY pissed or undercover. He's roughly 19 and…well…I can't think of any obsessions really…but he's really good in fights. Like, he can take stuff he saw in a game or movie, and duplicate it pretty well. And he always makes jokes related to games and movies, sometimes confusing enemies with random quotes or phrases from them. So yeah, he's a gaming nerd at heart.

Oh and he prefers torturing those who did wrong, rather than killing them. Like, if it's a human and they say…killed ten children, he'd throw them into an eternal nightmare where all the children they killed turn around and just stab, shock, burn, drown...the living FUCK out of them. Oh and he's lazy. Unless it comes to people he cares about or a job, he's really lazy. He'll get up and make his own food and stuff, but he won't get up and walk a couple paces to grab the remote or something, he'd just levitate it over.

D&S Master: Not so much Chains of Fate…more so…magical binds placed by the other gods. You've probably figured out who the speaker is…but perhaps not who Zero's voice is…

Alright, only a few minutes left till work. CHALLENGE! See if you can spot and name the references in this chapter! One's kinda vague; the other's pretty damn obvious! Also, I hope you have SHIFT+JIS. It adds to the chapter pretty well…


	14. Zan

**

* * *

**

The Thirteenth Order

**Chapter XIII: Truth**

(BGM: Wild Arms – The power which supports the world)

"Lezard…Valeth...but…we destroyed you! I destroyed you!"

"And yet here I am. I told you before, I am a god. A mere mortal like you, although at the time wielding the power of all three sisters combined, is not strong enough to slay me."

"Oh? Well what about someone…different then?"

Zero spoke while leaning against a pillar. He nodded to Naminé. "You can drop the act now. Thanks."

The blonde smiled and nodded, waving her hands around in an unusual motion.

**復　**Fuku: Restore (energy)

A glowing light surrounded Kairi. Her wounds slowly began healing. "Naminé?"

Lezard was confused. "Act? What act?"

Zero stepped forward. "The act required to lure you out of hiding, Magician. I know what you are, and I know the form you take. To bring your kind out into the Light, one must release a pre-requisite amount of Darkness…Naminé here…had that required amount already within her. All I did was help her bring it to the light."

Lezard's eyes narrowed. "You presume much Mortal. You know not of what you speak! I AM Lezard Valeth!"

"Tch…you're nothing but a cheap copy. But…"

Here Zero stood in front of Lezard.

"Copy or not…you do have _His _form…and as such…are the perfect target…"

"For what?!"

"Lezard did something to my Alicia…something unforgivable."

The ground began to rumble beneath their feet. A faint black outline could be seen around Zero's form, growing stronger and stronger as the seconds passed. Zero began slowly unbuttoning the shirt he was wearing.

"Something I plan on returning…with interest."

He threw the shirt off, revealing his bare back to the group…where strange black markings were beginning to form.

"Prepare yourself, Magician…and don't blink…you wont have time to react if you do…"

(BGM: Fate-Stay Night – Emiya Kenji Kawai ver.)

In an instant, he vanished. The next instant, Lezard was knocked off his feet into the air from a crushing blow to his chest. Zero's form…or at least, what everyone believed to be Zero flickered into view.

"What in the world?!"

Everyone was shocked at the transformation. Where once there was a human, a tall humanoid demon stood. Its body covered in sleek black armor, thin legs ending in tri-clawed feet, arms ending in clawed gauntlets with five fingers and blades on the elbows. On its back were two long thin objects that extended out like wings, and folded as such. The tips were ended with curved blades, like tiny scythes. Its head was somewhat human, looking almost like a mask with demonic wing like tips on the sides, pointing back and up. Long black tendrils flowed down like a waterfall, showing the only bit of human that remained on the creature.

Lezard slowly rose, a sphere of light in his hand. He launched the purple orb at the creature, only to watch in irritation as the demonic being slapped it aside like a fly. It leaned forward and vanished from view again. Lezard suddenly felt a pain in his left side, and a crushing feeling on his back as he was kicked into a pillar. He ducked and rolled as a fist came crashing down where he was leaning, narrowly evading the demon's next attack.

However, the black figure simply flipped around, placing its feet on the pillar and propelling itself off, swinging its left arm in the process, delivering three horrid looking slash marks into the Mage's back. It cart wheeled into another pillar, bouncing off and slashing its right arm, sending three crescent shaped claw marks through the air. Lezard barely ducked out of the way as three massive gashes appeared in the ground where he once stood.

Placing his hands together in a triangular formation, Lezard tried to begin a spell. The glyph of energy appeared in front of him…but that was as far as he got before jerked his head back, barely dodging one of Zero's bladed 'wings'. He jumped back again as Zero tried to knock his legs out from under him, but then…

"GAAAH!"

A quick correction made by the demon had it flicking its right wrist up, creating three huge slash marks on Lezard's chest. Blood and cloth both mingled and flew from the mage's torso as if the demon had stuck its claw inside him and ripped him from underneath his skin. But there was no contact whatsoever…it was all pure energy. Stumbling back and clutching his chest, Lezard had no way of defending when Zero dashed by, slashing again, making another gash appear, and then twirling around, slicing into Lezard's back twice before punting the mage back towards the group.

Roxas couldn't help but note. "Dude…that's like…a stronger version of your Anti-Form Sora."

"Stronger? That thing could rip Anti-Form in half!"

Riku absently made a joke. "Can't _anything _rip Anti-Form in half? Don't you lose practically all defensive power in that state?"

Sora flushed in irritation. "Oh shut it you!"

Odin stood with a gob smacked look on his face. "Incredible…such raw power…I didn't think a mortal could attain such strength without drastic actions…"

The Valkyrie nodded, too shocked to speak. Alicia just had her hands clasped together. _Zero…you're…doing this for me? But why? What did he do to me that was so horrible? "Tell me you haven't forgotten what Lezard did to us that required Zero's intervention." Well I know about _that _but…how does _he _know? "That…is something I myself have been wondering…"_

Kairi was leaning on Naminé's shoulder, panting still. Though healed, she lost a good deal of energy in that beat-down the blonde handed to her. A tad bit of mistrust towards the blonde in question shimmered in her eyes…but she pushed it aside. _There's always a reason. I just hope it's an understandable one…_

After a while of knocking aside Lezard's pitiful attempts at retaliation, the demon finally knocked the Mage down one more time, and stood a good bit of distance from him.

"**I think it's time for me to end this little game."**

**BLOOD HEAT**

A sudden pulse of energy erupted from the demon's body. Its form gave off a shimmering black glow. It ran towards Lezard, black shadowed after-images trailing behind it.

CRUNCH!

Lezard's nose was shattered from the demon's right fist. While the Mage reeled, the demon quickly pressed its attack, extending its claws.

Left, Right, Left, Right, Down-Left, Up-Right, Stab, pivot-kick to chest, kick to head-side-stomach-chest-stomach, pivot-jump, twirl with arm and back blades extended, slash-slash-slash-slash, land-kick and finally Zero ended by grabbing Lezard's face in his right claw and using every bit of strength and momentum he'd built up to this point to slam the Mage head-first into the ground.

The force of the movement however, bounced Lezard back into the air to a considerable height. Everyone watched as Zero suddenly appeared above the Mage, body curled into a ball and a _serious _amount of dark energy gathering to his arms and back blades. The energy swirled around, almost like a dome before finally collecting around the tips of Zero's claws and blades. For an instant, everyone saw a massive black glow before…

**X**

Zero wrenched his back blades diagonally up and his claws diagonally down, both in an X formation. A giant blazing black X appeared in the sky where the two combatants were...before Zero landed.

A moment later something else fell from the sky…

Kairi and Naminé screamed in horror, Sora, Riku and Roxas swearing and the other's eyes just widening.

Lezard's head had landed behind Zero. A few moments later…so did his arms and legs…and pieces of his torso.

But instead of blood…strange black particles swirled around. In moments, the head and random body parts became particles as well…fading from existence slowly. Zero stood, dark energy gathering around him once again. It swirled around him like a cocoon, before dispersing, revealing his usual self, sans shirt.

At the sight, the Valkyrie stood a tad bit straighter, Hrist absently brushing some dust off her armor, Lenneth straightening her skirt, and Silmeria blowing her hair out of her eyes feverently. Odin caught sight of this and gave a hearty laugh, making the Valkyrie blush when they realized what they were doing.

Kairi couldn't help herself. "Daaaaaaamn…" Naminé just laughed at her other's reaction.

Zero flicked some strands of hair out of his eyes and smiled.

"Impossible! Could he have figured out my plans?!" The voice raged before calming itself. "No…no…this was just a fluke. The form chosen by that particular one caused the reaction, that is all. There are still plenty for the seal to be broken with. I must be careful however…if he catches wind what happens when he destroys one with the Keyblade…I may never be freed…"

* * *

**Gummy Ship: Interior**

(BGM: Rockman ZX – Wonder Panorama)

After explaining that the Lezard Clone was what summoned the Mindless to their world, and with its destruction, no more would ever appear, Zero and the others returned to the Gummy Ship…but not after Alicia had to Ultimate Death Glare the three Sisters when they tried to make passes at the young warrior. To her surprise, Zero pulled her right next to him.

"Sorry ladies, as beautiful as you three are, this one has claimed my heart."

Alicia blushed and smiled as the sisters sighed. Silmeria congratulated her, echoed by the other two.

Now, Zero was using the ship's kitchen to make a nice meal for the group. As he finished, the others sat at the provided table and dug in. Of course, they grilled him.

"So what gives? What was all that with Naminé?"

The girl in question flushed and ducked her head. "Sorry about that…It was all part of Zero's plan…"

"Oi, I'll explain. Don't blame her, it's all on me. I was on my way back when I heard Alicia cry for help…and I sent her something I'd picked up."

"So it WAS talking about you!"

"Yeah. That weapon you were using, it was once a powerful Demon called Beowulf. He was defeated by a man named Vergil, and his power condensed into those gauntlets and greaves. Some of his spirit remained as well…honestly I'd hoped to keep those for myself, but you needed some extra firepower so I sent him off to you."

He took a drink.

"Anyway, because of my connection to Kairi, I knew what world you guys were on…and on that world was a Cellar. Before you ask, a Cellar is like…a cage, and a factory, all at once. Originally, a Cellar was used to mass produce Metatron based robots in specific locations. They would appear as small boxlike clusters that would expand into a giant orb, spit out a few mechs, and close. When open, they could be easily destroyed, but when closed they were shitloads harder to kill. Someone…has taken that design and modified it to spit out Mindless. Not only that, but they've further modified it to morph into the form of that worlds strongest being, copying its abilities and knowledge…but not so much its thoughts."

"Which is why Lezard came back."

"Exactly. That particular Cellar had a bit of a lock on it. It would only morph and show itself if a certain amount of natural dark energy was released at a specific point. So, because of my connection to Kairi, I'm also able to speak with Naminé a similar way. I slipped into Kairi's head while you guys were busy fighting the Mindless, and told her my plan. See, I know all about you guys, every, single, thing. And Naminé…well…"

"I'm…not as innocent as I look…"

"Sora, you don't remember this, but before you woke up in Twilight Town, you spent a year regaining your memories because not long after you'd closed the door to Light, you'd ran into a place called Castle Oblivion. The Organization ran that place, with its newer members running the show on the upper floors, and some of the older ones keeping an eye on things down below."

Riku tensed.

"Yeah, that's also where Riku confronted his inner darkness and gained the ability to What the Fuck Hax at will."

Confused looks all around.

"Oh come on. Roxas, you remember the form Riku took when he beat you right?"

The blonde nodded.

"You _can't _say that wasn't like an uber cheat code of God Mode Turn On."

Roxas nodded. "You've got a point there."

Sora was still confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Roxas wasn't kidding when he told you he defeated a Riku once. In fact he kicked Riku's ass, but then Riku came back and fought him again. He pissed Roxas off something harsh, and then when it looked like your other was about to beat him, Riku went God Mode Turn On, unleashed his inner darkness and morphed into Ansem, Speed Haxing his way to Roxas and What the Fuck Pwning him."

"Oh."

"Anyway, Castle Oblivion."

They all nodded. "Because of your mock suicide in Hollow Bastion with that Reverse Keyblade thing, you not only unlocked the darkness in your own heart, but what little was in Kairi's as well. That darkness took form as Naminé, and like with Roxas, the Organization found her. Only unlike Roxas, it wasn't Mansex who found her, but Marluxia, the flower fag."

Riku and Roxas snorted.

"Marluxia basically kept little Naminé trapped in the castle, then lured you in to try to use you against Mansex. Using her power to rewrite the chains of memory in your heart, she slowly undid the links you placed, but tried to leave around hints. Of course back then you were denser than you are now, so her little clues that shit was going down, and it wasn't pleasant, went right over your head. Though she did it mostly because Flower Fag and his Pink Scythe of Fruitiness, could One Shot her if he felt like it, being Kairi's shadow, she knew everything Kairi knew, mostly due to the unorthodox way she was brought into this world. As such, she knew what she was, and who she was, and that she'd only be a shadow."

He took another drink.

"That's why she slowly replaced Kairi with herself in your heart. Using her power to morph Kairi's good luck charm into a much better looking one."

"Hey!"

"Well it's true! Yours is a little paper cut out with a smiley face and blue and purple coloring. Hers was a bigass fluffy yellow star! Hers was MUCH better looking than yours."

Kairi pouted.

"ANYWAY, eventually the older members below caught wind of what the above dudes were doing, and since you were in the castle, and Riku was kinda being jerked around by the dark corridors, he ended up in the castle as well. Vexen, that's the Ice Nerd, fought Riku, and made a clone of him. The clone was pretty awesome, but in the end they forced Naminé to rewrite the Clone's memories as well, so they mirrored yours. He fought you about two or three times, each time losing because though you were dense as fuck and compared to him not as skilled, you had Main Character's Luck on your side, combined with some pretty awesome weaponry. Eventually, Axel, who was playing a double agent, killed Vexen at the Castle Oblivion rendition of Twilight Town, as he was about to tell you about Roxas. Riku was plowing through the other Organization members while you were being pulled along by Flower Fuck's chain."

Another drink.

"Eventually, Flower Fuck crossed a line, and Axel, who was never on their side to begin with, pretty much pushed Naminé to get the fuck out. She explained everything to you, including her reasons for going along with things, and honestly, you can't blame her. Stuck as a shadow of a girl who had someone who loved her, able to dick around with peoples thoughts and feelings…the only GOOD thing going for her was her ability to draw, and even though it was rather crude, it was pretty meaningful. You, being your usual dense but optimistic self, forgave her, kicked Flower Fuck's ass, then kicked his ass again when he fused with the Lovebot-2000. Then one last time when he tried to be all Death like. He bit the bucket; Naminé knocked you, Goofy and Donald into a coma and started re-dicking around with your memories, this time to put shit right."

"So…that's why there was a note left saying Thank Naminé…"

"Yerp, she willingly and unwillingly put you through a good bit of tomfuckery, but in the end the girl owned up and put shit right. But we got a bit off topic."

They all nodded.

"I knew Naminé still had a few minor unresolved issues with Kairi. Nothing ground breaking, but enough that it was floating around her head. So I formed a plan to give Naminé her own body, much like I did with Alicia, and at the same time, lure the Cellar out into the open. I'm a pretty good actor if I do say so myself, so playing the bad guy wasn't too difficult. I kinda had to do it the rough way by pulling Naminé's soul out forcefully…and painfully…but it had to be done in order to get you guys angry enough to chase after me. Then, I gave her her body back, got a rather nice view in the process-

Here he was slapped upside the head by Alicia. He winced, but continued.

"Gave her a snazzy new outfit to reflect the act we were performing, and had her open up a scroll containing the powers of Okami Amaterasu's Thirteen Brush Techniques. I figured since I ended up somehow knocking Roxas back into existence, with his own body to boot, it would only make things even if I brought Naminé back, but since she wasn't much of a combatant, I had to supply her with a suitable weapon, and a bit of a power upgrade. Then, when you guys showed up, she was able to let out those last bits of aggression towards her other, while fulfilling the requirements to summon the Cellar."

"And…you're not sorry in the slightest?"

"Honestly? No. I'm not one to believe that the ends justify the means, but with an entire world at stake, I only had one shot to go with the first plan I could."

"_Tell me you didn't forget." …I could…but then I'd be lying._

While the others frowned, Zero jumped. "Speaking of upgrades…"

He got up and opened a hole to a Dark Corridor. He reached in and pulled out a suitcase.

"Upgrades for all!"

He opened it up…and within were a series of strange looking stone bracelets. He gave one to everyone.

"What are these?"

"Powerful and potentially dangerous objects that can manipulate gravity by means of opening, utilizing, and then closing miniature black holes."

They stared at him.

"What? It's friggin sweet! This way you all have a better fighting chance against these things. The Marcellus Alicia took out isn't the only of its kind, and even stronger things exist. Being able to boost your jumps and slow down your enemies is pretty nifty. Not to mention for those of you who CANT glide or fly or anything, or don't have the energy to, if you're knocked off a cliff or something these things can save your ass. Think of it as a gift, in exchange for wrecking your shit to get the plan to work."

They all nodded.

"Alright, where to next?"

Sora spoke. "I think we should tell the King about these things. Maybe he knows somebody who can track them for us?"

"Well…" Zero cut in. "I know a few worlds that no longer have them. By the way, Alice says hi."

"Wait what?"

"While I was traveling I went to a few worlds and knocked off a few Cellars that were there. Wonderland was one of them. Alice and I teamed up against one and…" He burst out laughing. "Well…that girl has a _mean _right hook."

"Speaking of Wonderland…what was that?"

"That…is what happens when you have access to a shitload of Dark Energy…but almost no control of it. Darkness is like a corruption. It's powerful, but if you aren't smart with it it'll take over and eat you from within. Because of the two halves, I have access to both Destruction and Creation, the ultimate forms of Light and Darkness. Usually they're in harmony…but around then…some shit was going on in my head that was making me a bit…messed up. That…was me unconsciously tapping a very large amount of Destruction, and wiping out everything near by. But, because of that overload, the levels reverted to normal, but when they did, for some reason Roxas' existence was separated from mine."

"I keep forgetting you have their existences fused with yours."

"Yeah…I tend to as well. But it's useful. Anyway, we're heading for the Mouse House right? I'll clean up around here, you guys start pointing us there."

Everyone nodded and left…except Alicia. She looked at him nervously.

"Sup?"

"Did you…did you really do all that…for me?"

"He hurt you…and I don't play that shit."

"Zero…"

"Look…I know I'm a bit rough around the edges…a bit of a pervert…and got some heavy shit floatin around…but…I was wondering…if you'd like to-ummmph!"

Alicia answered his unasked question with a kiss.

"_FINALLY! I've been waiting for you to do that for weeks!"_

"_Well…it seems like she shares his interest…"_

* * *

And there you have it. An epic level fight, a bit of a revamped history lesson, and an explanation to why Naminé was being a bitch. AND, Zero and Alicia are FINALLY together. Bout bloody time.

RCRS: Naruto…is a fairly decent anime. Personally I prefer the Japanese voices over the English…mostly because 1) it's what I heard first and 2) some of the English voices just don't fit. The Manga however…well…Shipuuden's gotten all fucked up with all this Uchiha bullshit. Honestly, when Itachi dropped, everyone thought that it'd get back to Naruto…but no. I HOPE once all this talking is done, we won't see Sasuke AT ALL for at least 20 chapters. Because that's how much page time that asshat's been getting.

Anyway, I remembered another trait that I'd forgotten until after I'd posted last chapter. If Zero gets bored…weird shit happens. So anyone who knows him FEARS his boredom. Because he makes shit get destroyed when he's bored…actually he does whatever he damn well pleases when he's bored, but to a greater extent…a SCARY extent. So everyone who knows him will start getting freaked when he says "I'm bored." And if he says it about twenty times in the span of ten minutes…well…

People start literally throwing things at him to distract him from boredom.

Taeniaea: good to see you again. Glad you like it.

D&S Master: As explained, Naminé was doing this of her own full free will. No evil tainting at all. Just a really quickly thought up plan, and suppressed aggression towards Kairi. Seriously, read through the KH:CoM LP. It kinda points out that Naminé wasn't as innocent as she seemed. It's just that unlike most people under envy's embrace, she allowed her conscience to take over, and regretted her actions. Naminé herself wished for her own body, but she also had unresolved problems with Kairi. All superficial enough that she never voiced them, but they were still there. And by kicking Kairi's ass, she was able to prove to herself that she's every bit as important and powerful as Kairi.

The only support she got from Zero, or anyone in that fight, was that he gave her the scroll to the Celestial Brush Techniques beforehand, but he was already going to give that to her, so it wasn't like he gave her a quick boost for the fight.

Alright, since I doubt anyone is going to be able to spot the references in this chapter, I'm just going to point them out.

Naminé's abilities were from Okami, and are a version of Amaterasu's Celestial Brush abilities.

Beowulf is from Devil May Cry 3.

Zero's Demon Form is based off the creature from Monster Rancher's 3, 4 and Advance 2 called Zan. Zan, when literally translated means Blade, which makes sense for the monster because of what it looks like. I'll make a link to the picture on my profile so you can get a general idea of what it looks like.

Zero's final attack, the one that ended in an X, was taken from Ovan's A strike in the .hack GU Trilogy movie. Ovan smashes Haseo into the ground, the force bouncing Haseo back into the air, and appears before Haseo's prone body. He curls up into a ball as a fuckton of AIDA swirl around the two, and taking his two blade arms and his one bladed weapon, makes a big red A in the air, which ends up chopping off one of Haseo's legs, as well as doing some FUCKLOADS of damage.

Lovebot-2000 is taken from the Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories LP. Go read it. Now.

The stone rings are from Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity. A pretty decent non-platforming Sonic title. Though the whole Gravity Drive thing would have been fucking EPIC for an actual Platformer…someone needs to tell Sega this.

Alright…this will be the last update for a little while. I've got nothing planned after this so don't expect anything too soon. Besides, I have to update my .hack and Harry Potter fics…


	15. Exposition

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter XIV: More Exposition**

Everyone groaned. They all slowly stood to their feet, shuddering as the excess amounts of electricity coursed through their bodies.

Zero sighed. The others wanted to battle him, due to the intense ass kicking he gave them all the last time he was at the castle. He obliged, quickly launching a massive wall of fire at his opponents, then dousing it with a torrent of water, kicking up a dense field of steam. As his opponents tensed, none of them thinking to try blowing the steam away, they all noticed a flash of golden yellow light…before they were knocked off their feet, all of them feeling a burning sensation all over their bodies, and blacking out.

"There, we fought, I won. You happy now?"

"The hell?! That wasn't a fight!" Leon was agitated. "Stop playing around and get serious!"

"You don't want that."

Cloud scoffed. "What's the matter, can't win?"

Zero glared at Cloud. "I wouldn't be talking Mister Compensation. You can't even beat Sephiroth without resorting to over the top moves. But fine, you want serious?"

He set his eyes on Aerith. "I'll give you serious."

The brunette tensed, watching Zero approach slowly. Suddenly he flickered out of view. She felt a strange tingling feeling all over her body for a moment…and then he reappeared behind her, still walking at the same pace. He stepped maybe a few paces away from her…and then snapped his fingers.

Aerith jumped in fright as hundreds of red lines appeared all over her body. She looked at her hands, her arms, even her legs and dress was covered in red lines and dots.

Cloud growled. "What did you do to her?"

"Kairi."

The redhead looked up at Zero.

"Look at Aerith."

She blinked a moment, then nodded when she realized what it was he wanted from her. Focusing, she turned her gaze upon the quiet brunette covered in markings. In seconds the markings seemed to fade…only to be replaced by black lines and dots…in the exact places all the red ones were.

Kairi gasped in horror. Zero held out his left arm, in his hand was a red marker. Kairi saw this and shuddered.

"What? What did he do?"

She quickly leveled a fearsome glare at Leon.

"He just cut her into ribbons."

Aerith's eyes widened in fright, and the others let loose a series of gasps.

"Or he would have, if he wasn't trying to prove a point." Kairi walked over to Aerith, dragging her by the arm to Leon and Cloud.

"All these red lines, all these red dots, are the _exact _areas where if Zero had been using a blade, Aerith would have been cleanly cut. You two idiots basically caused Aerith to be sliced into hundreds of tiny pieces!"

Stammering Aerith questioned the younger girl. "B-but I'm…"

"You're fine." Everyone turned to Zero, who was leaning against a pillar. "All those marks are from this marker. Like Kairi said, I was proving a point. None of you were able to react when I vanished, let alone when I showed up again. You're all too slow for me…"

He looked at the pillar he was leaning against. He seemed to stare at it for a moment then nodded. He turned around and flickered over to Yuffie, surprising her. He reached behind her and she flushed indignantly as she felt his hand brush against her rear end. She was about to slap him when he pulled a Kunai out of the pocket attached to her belt and flickered away.

He appeared at the pillar again, holding the Kunai in the air so everyone could see it.

"This Kunai is in pretty decent condition. Not the sharpest, but it's got enough of an edge to deal some damage. Now, I'm going to demonstrate."

He turned to the pillar and uncapped the marker. His left hand blurred. The pillar was now covered in red markings.

"Those are exactly like what I did to Aerith. Now, look what happens when I use a Kunai. Now, be certain to note that this is solid stone. This kunai is metal, has no enhancements or spells cast on it whatsoever. And, I'm not even going to place any energy into the kunai to make it sharper or anything. Alicia!"

Knowing what it was he wanted, the girl drew her blade and swung it at him. The two clashed, but barely placed any pressure on one another.

"As you can see, it's strong enough to block a sword, but not able to cut through it." He struck the floor with it. "Cant even cut through this ground see? Now, look what happens when I trace those lines…"

His right arm blurred. He stepped away from the pillar. After the third step, the stone object seemed to shudder…then collapse upon itself, piece by piece. Everyone but Riku, Sora, Kairi, Naminé, Roxas, Alicia and King Mickey was in shock.

"Now…imagine how human flesh would react?"

Aerith paled and fell to her knees. "That…could have been me?"

"Yep. All thanks to Emo-boy and Overcompensating over there."

She turned harshly angered eyes upon Cloud and Leon. The two stammered and stepped backward.

Tifa, ever the calculator, posed a query. "Question!"

"Answer."

"Wouldn't that happen anyway, with the speed you were moving at?"

"Yes, but the cuts wouldn't be as clean and precise. Not to mention I could take a simple butter knife, and use it to cut diamond."

"Prove it."

"Got a diamond?"

"No…but I have an arm band that is made from metal that is supposed to be as hard as diamond."

"That'll do. Got a butter knife?"

A broom burst into the room holding a plate that consisted of a single butter knife.

"Well…shit. Useful little bugger aint ya? Thanks."

The broom seemed to bend itself in a bow, and trotted off.

"Alright, toss it."

Tifa hurled the object into the air. Zero watched it drop, and when it got close enough, his arm blurred again.

Seconds later, pieces of the wristband fell around Zero's feet. As for the butter knife…

"Not a single scratch on it."

Aerith was frozen in fear. _That could have been me…I could have been killed just like th-_ "OW! Hey! What was that for?!"

Zero's right hand was crackling with electricity. "You were going into shock…so I shocked you. You're fine. Stop thinking about it."

"But-

"But nothing. You. Are. _Fine._"

"Well…what am I going to do about this?" She gestured to the markings.

"It's marker. It comes off with water and a bit of rubbing."

"Ooh! Let me!" Naminé eagerly offered.

雨

A torrent of rain suddenly appeared and drenched the room. Aerith sputtered in confusion.

風

Moments after the rain stopped, a sudden gust of wind blew through the room, drying everyone up. Although the girl's hair were messy now.

"Ahh…oops…"

"Bit sudden for a shower…"

"Ahh…yeah…"

* * *

"Alright, here's how it's going down. There's these things called Cellars. They seem to be placed on specific worlds, and are currently spitting out Mindless. Kill enough Mindless, and the Cellar transforms into that world's most powerful being. It gains all their knowledge and powers, but not their minds, meaning it knows what they know, and can do what they do, but it can't _think _like they can. For example, if it turned into someone with Flame Manipulation as a power, it would summon fireballs, walls of fire, occasional fire darts or whatever, but it wouldn't say…create a wall of fire, then surround the target, then create a pillar of fire beneath the target, causing the target to jump away from the pillar and walls of flame, and into a waiting fireball. No, it would make a wall of fire, then try to collapse it into a pillar of flame, not having the intelligence to do multiple things at once."

Cloud nodded. "So they're powerful, but they can't get creative."

"Exactly. Also, say it had a flame and darkness combination. It would constantly switch between fire attacks and darkness attacks, never merging the two together. Because the Cellar is an artificial life form, it can have the knowledge a living being has, but not the instincts. Therefore, it has a massive glaring flaw that can be exploited. Now, while I was gone, in between Wonderland and when I returned at Valhalla, I took out about three Cellars. So Wonderland, and two other worlds are now safe from Mindless, but they'll still have Heartless popping up every now and then."

Zero turned to Alicia. "By the way, I want to take you to one of those worlds, there's someone there that can help you master Beowulf's powers."

The blonde nodded, and then returned to leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Now, I'm pretty sure your world of Radiant Garden does _not _have a Cellar. These things are like branding irons in my head, I can sense where they are. However…"

He turned to Kairi. "Your friend Tidus will need you guys' help. Spira has a Cellar, and it's likely to turn into either Seymour Guado or Sin. And if it turns into Sin…well…You're the only one besides myself that would be able to take it out Kairi."

"Because of my…your sight, right?"

"Yes. _Our _eyes can perceive the Fated Death of things. But in order to do so, we have to understand that it _can _die. So all you have to do is keep in mind that Tidus and the others blasted Sin to hell once. It's fucking huge though, four times the size of Hollow Bastion Castle to be exact, and it has a City on its back the size of Twilight Town."

"Damn!"

"Exactly. Tidus and the others beat it by going _inside _it, where there was some form of alternate dimension within it, and then traversing their way to its core. Since it's a Cellar, all you'd have to do is find its Point, and just stab it. It'll rip away the Shell of Sin, and leave the weakened Cellar exposed. All you have to do then is have someone use the Keyblade to "unlock" the Cellar, which will cause it to collapse on itself, and…well, die."

Kairi was nervous, but she nodded.

"Also, Sin can use Gravity. Meaning it can summon orbs of Dark Energy that can literally make your body implode on itself, and it can warp the world around it. When fighting against anything that could possibly pose a threat to it, it can summon a dome of Dark Energy to protect itself, and when it gets irritated, extend that dome into a sort of energy slash attack that can sever nearly anything in its path, but dissipates upon contact with a large enough structure; or a massive wall of Dark Energy that eradicates anything it touches in seconds, for a moderate range ahead."

Kairi and the others paled. "Only downside is that both moves take a bit to prepare, so you can see it coming. I'm not sure what its effects on Magical Barriers are, so Sora's Reflect spell might actually work on blocking it, since I've seen that thing block Mansex's Expanding Spheres. And since it's a copy, and not the real thing, it's going to be considerably weaker than the real thing…so it's likely that it's Gravity Wall would just really, really hurt, rather than turn you to atoms…"

"So…you're not sure."

"Nope. I'm not even sure it will turn into Sin. I'm just letting you know what it can do in case it DOES turn into Sin."

"You're not going with them?"

"I'll go with them as far as Spira so I can pinpoint where the Cellar is most likely to be nesting. But I need to get Alicia to that other world so she can get used to Beowulf. I trust the boy's skills though, and Naminé can use some pretty nifty tricks now, and if all else fails Kairi can just cut the fucker's head in two and call it a day."

Kairi smiled slightly at that.

"So when do we go?"

"Whenever you want, the sooner the better. We don't know if Tidus and the others are fighting any Mindless yet, and if they are, that means they're closer to forcing the Cellar out of hiding than we'd like."

Riku suggested they leave immediately.

"Fine by me. We'll meet you at the ship." Alicia and Zero stood, Alicia wrapping her arms around Zero's waist, and the two vanished in a dark corridor.

"That's cute…" Aerith spoke.

"What is?"

"She loves him. You can see it in the way she looks at him…and he loves her back. It's cute."

Sora's group looked at one another. "When did that happen?!"

Kairi and Naminé shrugged. The girls looked at each other. "Girl's night?" Kairi nodded. "Girl's night."

They strolled off. Sora, Riku and Roxas looked at each other. "What was that all about?" They asked at the same time.

* * *

Short, not much happening, but hey, it's something. Next chapter: My perception of a gossip session, Spira, and…Dante?!

Just Fly A Kite: I'm going to stick with just Kite from now on, until someone else pops up with that name. I'm glad you liked the chapter.

D&S Master: Yeah, the idea came from CoM and KHII's opening. You see Naminé drawing things, and then shit happens. So I figured "well crap. She'd be perfect for the Celestial Brush."

RCRS: Yes, and you'll soon find that his Game Nerd side has a very important role in this story…

And yes, Naruto's English voice is crap. I've only seen a couple episodes of Death Note though. Another good series is Tsukihime, the anime I heard sucks, but the Manga for that and Melty Blood are freakin awesome.


	16. Spiders

(BGM: .hack GU – AIDA)

Spiders.

Giant demonic spiders.

Giant demonic spiders with human female torsos.

Giant demonic spiders with human female torsos and bladed forelegs.

Giant demonic spiders with human female torsos and bladed forelegs that when killed improperly would burst into hundreds of smaller demonic spiders.

And there were a LOT of them.

Dante, son of Sparda, wielding the large broadsword Rebellion, severed another of many Arachne in two…unfortunately that released a wave of smaller spiders that crawled out from its dying body. Dante jumped away, since the smaller ones were nowhere near as much of a threat as the bigger ones, leaving the creatures alone.

Lady, the brunette with many scars, gunned down another one. Rolling under the swing of a second, she popped a small grenade behind her and kicked off the back of yet another, narrowly evading the ball of fire the first erupted into. While in mid-air, she whipped around, swinging her best weapon, the Kalina-ann, to her front, pulling the trigger and launching not just a small rocket, but also herself. The rocket exploded onto the back of the second demon, as she flipped back around, swinging the rocket-launcher behind her, and using its grappling blade as a weapon to pierce the head of yet another demon. Like with Dante, this one began bursting into small spiders, but unlike Dante, she pulled out a semi-automatic weapon and began firing at the cluster before dashing away to deal with one of the bigger ones.

Alicia crossed her arms, the glowing silver gauntlets deflecting the blow. A quick pivot on her left foot and she drove her right into the side of one of the spider demons. A flick of her left wrist and a small sphere of light was launched into it, ripping it to shreds as it suddenly expanded. She sung her weight backwards, popping off the ground and twirling out of the way of another demons' swing. Landing on her right foot, she pushed off and slammed her left fist into the demons' 'face'. It reared back and she followed up by extending her right leg as she twisted her entire body around on her left heel and brought it down in an axe kick, severing the demon in twain. She dashed off to deal with another one…completely missing how the monster disintegrated into smaller spiders…

Zero shuddered. He didn't take part in this battle. He _couldn't. _It was a little known phobia of his…but he couldn't _stand _spiders. One or two he could handle, as he'd just kill them in whatever was the fastest way with the least amount of possibility that it'd survive…but when there were more than three…he started shaking. His body would shiver in fear, his hairs would stand on end…his mind would begin playing tricks on him…

_Hundreds…no…th-thousands! Closer…they're coming closer! _"N-no…" He choked out. "S-stay away!" _"Pull yourself together!" They're coming…closer…closer…closer…_

He tripped over the curb of the street they were fighting on. Falling flat on his back…he watched in horror as the wave of tiny arachnids scuttled their way to him. What nobody knew…was that if there were too many…his mind would blank…and nobody noticed…

"_Burn them! Freeze them! Dammit do SOMETHING!" S-so many…I…I…_ Shuddering even more, the bearer of chaos scrambled backwards on his hands, kicking out in fear as one jumped a bit _too _close to him. He gave a shout of horror as he himself scuttled back as fast as he could until he hit a wall.

The shout alerted the other three…and they saw something none of them expected. The mighty Zero, the great warrior who could match and possibly even best Dante himself…was scared.

No…he was _terrified._

His heart beat tripled in speed. He could feel the blood rushing through his veins.

His eyes widened.

The pounding of his beating heart blocking all but the sound of clattering pincers.

Unknown to him, his body was giving off a small very disturbingly black glow. It was faint, but it was pulsing slowly.

"G-guh…" _Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!_

The glow became stronger.

"What the hell is he doing?!"

"Is he…scared?"

"Zero? ZERO!"

Symbols on his hands began to glow in tune with his body. The mark of Destruction…

Alicia, who was running to Zero's aid…stopped.

Zero saw her movement suddenly halt…and felt it…

Eyes wide in tredeptation…he turned his head. A sticky white film was dripping down his shoulder.

The pulsing stopped.

He followed the line of goo upwards…where he stared into the eyes of an Arachne…slowly crawling down the side of the building.

The symbols on his hands now became present on his forehead, and unseen by anyone, his back, blazing a deep black.

_Help…_

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"**

A dome of black overtook his body. With blinding speed it expanded, engulfing the entire city. If one were to look from the space above that world…they would see a black sphere suddenly grow from a tiny spot violet lances of electricity flying around its edges as bright white symbols, runes, kanji and otherwise…began emerging all over the dome…and then collapse upon itself…leaving naught more than a giant crater where there once was a bustling city.

* * *

(BGM: Final Fantasy X – Hurry!)

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"**_

A piercing scream ripped through Kairi's mind.

"JESUS SHIT!"

The red haired girl practically leapt out of her skin when the sudden noise invaded her thoughts.

Suddenly, a massive paw tried to slam down upon the girl. The momentary distraction did nothing to dissuade her however, as she threw her weight backwards into a back handspring, narrowly evading the strike. She shook her head to clear it.

_What the hell was that?! That almost sounded like…Zero…_

The large blue-purple furred monster before her roared in irritation. Kairi's eyes narrowed as she raced for the monster's left leg. It reared back, ready to crush her, only to topple to the side as she brought her keyblade along a black line at its heel. It twisted its body and lashed out with its right foreleg, only to have its claws sliced clean off, followed by half of its arm being severed in a single swing.

_King Behemoth. Tidus said that when it dies, it uses its build up energy to cast a powerful spell called Meteor. Of course, he also said that it automatically has a spell cast on it called Mighty Guard that is supposed to seriously reduce all damage dealt…along with automatic recovery…_

She hopped away from the thrashing beast, deftly evading a sudden burst of flame where she once stood.

_Well, I don't see it recovering from anything I'm doing to it…damn; this power makes things almost _too _easy._

She then saw it. She'd dealt enough damage to make its hold on life weaken to the point where she could see its end. Ducking under another swing and lobbing off the offending appendage, she raced along next to its body, jumping into the air as it slammed its stub of an arm on the ground where she once stood. She did a few flips and then jammed her keyblade right under its left shoulder, right into a big black dot on its body. Instantly it burst into pyreflies…no sign of any spell being cast.

_Must not have had time to gather the energy properly…I've wasted enough time here…I have to get to the others!_

* * *

**SFX: BOOM**

The entire group was sent flying backwards. Everyone was battered and breathing heavily. The true enemy, a Cellar taking the form of Seymour Guado, had been beating them backward left and right. Not even Kairi could get close enough to deliver a single blow. Even Naminé's new abilities weren't able to pierce his defenses.

"It is indeed a pity…though beautiful as ever Lady Yuna, you still lack the strength to stand against me…it is sad such beauty and will must go to waste."

He raised a hand and a ball of flame appeared. The pale, blue haired half-breed tossed the sphere casually only to watch in mild annoyance as a crescent wave of air sliced through it. Once again, Kairi and the others stood, defiant to his will.

"I see…very well then…"

He made a series of strange gestures…at least; they were strange to the Keyblade Wielders…to the others…

"A prayer? At a time like this?"

And that's when four green orbs rose from the ground, casting themselves to the heavens.

"A SUMMON?!"

Indeed. A silver hook on a lengthy chain dropped from the sky, crashing into the ground and into a pool of murky browns, reds, and black. From within, the hook dragged what looked like a mummified Venus flytrap with bound arms, and a single exposed eye.

"A-Anima?"

"Now my pet…destroy them…"

"Uhh…guys…that thing is _covered _in lines. Like, every inch of it. I…don't think that's normal…"

The creature gave a pain filled moan…as a distortion of light began gathering near its eye.

Paine deadpanned. "We're boned aren't we?"

But suddenly…it stopped.

Seymour looked irritated. "Why have you stopped?!"

The ground began to rumble. Anima's lone eye widened in horror.

(BGM: Persona 3 – Shato U)

The air before the group suddenly began to ripple.

"Um…guys…what's going on?"

The ground's rumbling became even more violent. The entire world seemed to flicker and distort. Colors became inverted as parts of the floating buildings around them spontaneously shattered and crumbled.

"What is this trickery?!" Seymour was livid. But not just that…

He was afraid.

Anima was screeching in fear.

That…was _not _normal.

Suddenly the ripple before them changed. Sparks of violet began racing around the edges. Rings of dark blue began wafting from the center of the rift. The rumbling of the ground grew fiercer as a growing noise similar to the rush of a waterfall became louder and louder with each passing second.

A glyph comprised of three rune encrypted circles arranged in a triangle, overlapping one another, within a larger rune covered circle appeared in front of the group. More symbols, some kanji, some random runes and even some Glyphs of Yevon appeared around the larger circle.

The rushing noise reached a crescendo as the air in front of the glyph; (behind it in the case of the Keyblade/Gullwing Group) seemed to crack…and then shatter.

"What…is that?"

Seymour got his answer as a massive beam of black erupted from the hole in reality, engulfing not just Anima, but himself as well. He didn't even have time to scream as the literal wall of black overtook his body, crushing and ripping it to pieces.

Outside of the giant apparition that was Sin, the horrified Spirans watched as a large black beam seemed to erupt from the massive floating creature's rear, and tear through the sky like a knife. The beam impacted upon the highest point of Bevelle, creating a massive explosion of dark energy, eradicating all existence within a five kilometer radius of the once Holy City. The black beam had the secondary effect of also turning Sin into a massive sphere of goo that burst into pyreflies moments after Bevelle was leveled…

* * *

(BGM: Persona 3 – Mistic)

"What in Yu Yevon's name was that ya?!"

Everyone had gathered back at Besaid Island. Alicia was stroking a shuddering but unconscious Zero's arm. Small sparks of dark energy would begin to lance around his body, but Alicia, Kairi and Naminé would all begin to radiate their own energy and settled the sudden spikes.

Dante and Lady were nowhere to be found.

"First Sin shows up again, then some black beam shoots out of its butt and completely levels Bevelle!"

Zero shuddered again, muttering something about spiders.

"Hey Sora…" Tidus inquired. "Who is that guy?"

Kairi answered. "His name is Zero. He's a powerful warrior capable of not only manipulating elements like they were nothing, but also intense speeds and swordplay. But…I don't know how all this happened…"

"We were on another world." Everyone turned to Alicia.

"He took me to the place where he got Beowulf, those gauntlets from a little while ago. I met the original owner of them, a man named Dante…and we were practicing when a bunch of demons showed up. Spider demons. They had the torso of a human woman, but the rest of their body was arachnid. Zero…"

She watched him shudder again.

"Zero…apparently is deathly afraid of spiders. He looked so…helpless…scared…I've never seen a reaction to something like that. He didn't even fight…he just stumbled backward away from them…"

She gently stroked a strand of hair from his face…noting that it was pale white.

"He was terrified. He just kept shaking and mumbling until he tripped. The thing about those demons was if we killed them a certain way, they'd end up spawning a bunch of very small spiders as they died. We killed too many that way…and thousands of the little things were crawling around…he just kept backing away…looking so horrified…and then…one of the big ones climbed down the building he was propped against…and he saw it…"

She held his hand in both of hers.

"I didn't notice…none of us did…not until he'd tripped. But…his hands…his body…he was glowing. The big one…it seemed to…drip…something on him…and he saw it…and then looked up into its beady red eyes…and I swear time itself stopped…"

Kairi finished. "And then he screamed…didn't he?"

Alicia looked to the red-head. "Yes…how did you know?"

Naminé fielded that. "I…she…we…heard it. In our minds. It really threw me off. I was in the middle of inscribing when it happened and I almost got my head ripped off because of it."

Tidus cut in. "What happened next?"

"I…he…exploded. Just…something…a massive wall of energy just erupted from him. It completely decimated the demons though…but it kept going. I pushed past it and just held on to him as best I could…the shock…must have knocked him unconscious. But…next thing I know I'm in front of you all."

Zero moaned. His eyes fluttered open.

"Zero…"

"What…hit me?"

"You did…apparently."

"Kai…ri? Wait…how…"

"You're on Spira. The Cellar has been destroyed, apparently by your hand no less."

"Spira? Wait…I…what?"

"Also in the process you leveled a place…umm what was it called again?"

"Bevelle." Wakka growled out.

"Yeah, Bevelle."

Zero seemed to shrug that aside. "Eh…never liked that place anyway…Fuckin' delusional Yevonites and their bullshit hypocrisy." Unaware of his audience he sat up and continued.

"Machina is bad! They say. Oh wait, only some of it is bad. They say. You can fuck around in giant machina powered bowls of water but you can't have them help fight against a giant fuckoff demon with both dark and gravity manipulation without being branded a heretic! Fuckin Yevon…damn was it satisfying to zombie that fucker and just watch him Curaga himself to death."

Subconsciously he called a glass of water from across the room to his side. Snatching out of the air he gulped it all down in one go, then continued his tirade.

"I mean son of a slut, already had to watch poor Yuna blast her own best fucking friends in the Aeons to shit. Bad enough we had to damn near get our shit wrecked by Fuckin Jecht in the form of some big mother fuck…gotta admit though that was a bitchin song. Stupid Fuckin Yevon…FUCK YUNALESCA!"

That shout made everyone jump.

"Had to take her on three Fuckin times! THREE! I mean yeah the scene before the bitch was awesome, I mean, it's not every day you see Auron get pimp slapped by a friggin Zombie…albeit a sexy as hell zombie but a zombie none the less. But FUCK that bitch. I mean shit what is it with Yevon and zombies?! You say Bevelle is gone? I say good riddance…Fuckin place had too much Fuckin bullshit to stick around. Damn Yevon…music was good, I'll give 'em that. Hymn of the Fayth is one of my personal favorites…always did manage to calm me down…but shit…people runnin things…tch…dickweeds. God…spiders…fuck spiders…"

He shivered again.

"Bloody Fuckin spiders…why'd it have to be spiders? Why not bees? Bees are annoying enough. Why spiders? Fuck…got half a mind to find a bunch of caves and blow the Fuckin places to hell…less spiders in the world the better…" He shuddered. "Fuck spiders…"

He felt a pair of arms wrap around him. "Hey…they're gone ok? You don't have to worry about them anymore."

"Aint gone…tch…Fuckin bastards'll never be gone…they're everywhere…little Fuckin pricks…"

They watched as his eyes began drooping.

"Fuck I'm tired…"

"Relax Zero…you need rest."

"Guess I do…can't stand the little bastards…"

Alicia gently pushed his chest, slowly coercing his body to lie down.

"I hate spiders too. Probably not as much as you, but they still suck."

"Should make…a club…the Anti-Spider Brigade or something…I call president."

"I call vice president."

"You can't be vice president."

Alicia frowned. "Why not?"

"You're the first lady…can't be first lady and Vice President at…the same time."

She blushed slightly. "Does the first lady get to stand by the President's side?"

"First Lady's…president's…wife…"

She blushed harder.

"of course…I'm…not…letting you…go…"

She smiled as he faded back into sleep.

Rikku awed. "That's so cuuuute!" Alicia just flushed deeper.

Tidus was a bit unnerved. "How did he know all those things?"

Kairi shook her head. "We don't know…he just…knows stuff about places…"

"I don't like what he was sayin about Yevon."

Yuna frowned. "But he was right. Everything he said had its points. You may not like it Wakka, but everything he said was true."

Tidus jumped in. "And he did say he liked the Hymn."

"Arright brudda…you got me convinced for now ya? We'll grill 'im later."

"Alicia…"

"I'm staying here. I don't know how stable his mind is…it's almost like he had a psychotic break down back there…I don't…want to lose him."

"Alright…we'll be back in the morning. Get some rest too ok?"

"Kairi…what's it like? Having him in your mind?"

"I…can't really say. I don't notice it very often…because he doesn't go into my head unless it's important…so I tend to forget we can even do that."

"I see…Good Night Kairi."

"Night Alicia…"

"The boy's display of power…"

The sound of chains could be heard.

"Able to pierce dimensions…this…will be useful…"

In front of the woman…

A hole in reality…like a broken window…

* * *

This…was begun at four AM.

This reflects myself.

I have a pretty intense fear of spiders. Not so much a fear…but seeing them in close proximity…or at all really…just…shuts my mind down. Before I wrote this, I'd encountered no less than six of them, varying sizes, in close proximity to me in the bathroom.

It was made worse by the fact that I seem to subconsciously call the bathroom a second sanctuary. I spend a lot of time just sitting and musing about things while on the toilet, or letting the water run on me in the shower as I spend time lost in thought.

If I see too many of them in a short amount of time, I just start shivering. Of course I try to kill them as fast as possible without getting too close…but the more of them I see, the more freaked out I get. Sure the ones around here are probably harmless, but…

I just hate the feeling of having shit crawling on me. And my senses are _very _sharp, so the slightest twitch of a hair will make me flinch…and after seeing a bunch of those things…ugh…

You saw an example of Destruction when unleashed by rage, and in this chapter, you see an example of what happens when it is released by Fear.

My original plans for this chapter was to start with Kairi taking out a King Behemoth, then switching around to Sora, Riku, Roxas and Naminé. Then everyone against Seymour inside Sin, and then Zero and Alicia blasting their way in with a Gummy Ship. It was going to be hilariously wild and awesome.

Obviously that didn't happen.

RCRS: I think that counts as rambling, though not so much absurd, just uncoordinated. We're both lacking motivation…but I hope this gives you a bit of a boost for your next chapter kit.

D&S Master: Well…as strong as Emo-pants and Choco-hair are, Zero focuses not so much on strength (unless he's pissed) as he does speed. Combine his speed with the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, and you've got a living weapon.

I hope this is liked…my hands hurt now…


	17. Fayjan

(BGM: .hack GU: Avatar Space)

"Have you found the source of the disturbance?"

"Not yet…I've been monitoring the one who survived Fate's Decree."

"Ahh…the wielder of Chaos…a sole mortal with the power of existence. I still say we should destroy him…"

"And rend our chances of ridding our universe from this taint? I think not."

"He is mortal…he will be corrupted by its power."

"He's lasted this long. And if he is to answer the call of any, it would be Existence itself who summons him."

"Then explain that power he released not but days ago!"

"That…was my doing."

"**Destruction?** Explain yourself."

"You saw not his face. You felt not his fear, his pain. I did what needed to be done to ensure he not fail, long before he has his chance to succeed."

"Your actions have torn open a hole in reality! A gateway between worlds that should not-

"Oh go stuff yourself. **Balance **and **Creation **both agree my actions were just. The two of them are working to repair the distortion as we speak. I do not see **Death **complaining."

"What is there to complain about? You did for me what I could not, and for that I thank you."

"What is it you speak **Death?!** Why has that mortal not passed yet?!"

"Are you a fool? That _mortal _as you call him, was graced by the touch of both Destruction and Creation. **Existence **herself has blessed him with her power. **Life **has told me not to claim his soul unless he is truly forever gone. He is the Psion of **Balance. Darkness **and **Light **both agree he is to be monitored, but as well agree he is to be left alone lest he misuse his power, which he hasn't as of yet. Why do you insist on claiming his soul **Mortality**?"

"You answer your own question **Death.** He has not _yet _misused the power given to him…but I fear-

A sudden cold chill shot through all present.

"What was that?!"

"I have no idea…"

"Something…has changed…"

"**Balance?**"

"Someone…something…has shifted. For a while now, I have been uncertain as to whether or not this universe would hold…but something has just shifted that answers my question."

"Well?"

"Have you not noticed that the binds upon **Clotho **wane? With each act of purifying a world, her chains shatter. She still retained her power to **weave.** Even if it is severely weakened."

"You knew of this and said nothing?!"

"Balance must be maintained. I have been watching carefully…and it seems that **Clotho **is soon to be released."

"We must act now then!"

"We cannot."

"Why?!"

"To interfere now would be pointless. We cannot slay one another…only a mortal with the power of a God can slay a deity…"

"Shinzaki…"

"Yes. However…there is something else."

"Why do I not like the thought?"

"Do not fret…it is…to our advantage…"

"Speak **Balance. **My patience wears thin."

"Well if you are to act that way…"

"Stop toying with us!"

"Oh fine…ruin my fun. We all recall when **Clotho **first became weaver…correct?"

"Such brilliance had never been seen in our realm for many lifetimes…"

"And then that shine faded as she watched Mortals proceed with their lives."

"Until she became cold…emotionless…"

"It would seem…that with the Psion's acts of late…that part of her that was once curious…that part of her that was once loyal, compassionate…has been jarred."

"Explain."

"The side of **Clotho **that once loved the world…is about to be freed. But…it will not be easy. She still recalls everything she originally knew…only there will be a hole…"

"A hole?"

"In her heart…waiting to be filled. And I believe I know exactly who will end up filling it."

"You can't mean…"

"Yes…she calls to him now…as he delves deeper into his own mind."

"So that distortion…"

"If **Destruction **had never acted as she did…we would not have this chance."

"But…that means…"

"Unfortunately yes…without the shackles of her old persona holding her back…**Clotho **will be bent on the complete end of all worlds…unfortunately, her return is required for the next stage of this universe's growth."

"Blast it all…are we to just sit idly by and place our hopes on a single mortal?"

"Not just one. Fate's Chosen, the Keyblade Masters…they are with him."

"And the girl, Kairi…she holds part of my power…"

"The coming battle is not as one-sided as we'd think. They have a great deal of chance to succeed…but it all requires him to unlock his full power. **Clotho's **past persona will help in this endeavor greatly…and the love from his Princess will further that. Combined with the alliance of the Keyblade Masters, and the strength of the Thirteen, he is likely to succeed."

"We can provide no assistance?"

"We cannot…**Death **has been guiding him as best she could…but with _her _awakening, **Death's **lead is no longer required…which means we can do nothing but watch…and pray."

"What is **Lachesis' **take on this?"

"It is uncertain…his thread has bound itself to the threads of the universe…and he is spinning his own destiny. She cannot tell what will happen…which worries her for that is her lot."

"In her place…I would be worried as well."

"We can do nothing now…let us hope…that everything falls into place…"

"Tch…it is Mortals we deal with…nothing ever goes as planned when bartering with them…"

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter XVI: My…Name…Is…**

(BGM: Onimusha Dawn of Dreams: Hideyoshi's Decisive Battle)

A blurred figure darted from shadow to shadow. The cavern walls providing outcroppings for it to hide, plan, and strike.

_This is harder than I thought…looks like she was right after all…_

Light sandaled feet patted along the rocky ground, dashing farther from the entrance…and with it dashing away from safety.

_Check…enemy types in this place…Great Malboro…Master Tonberry…Varuna…those disgusting larvae things…oh and assholicly powerful Elements…great. One enemy that COULD knock my ass out in one shot, an enemy that can kill me in one shot, an enemy that constantly buffs itself…and two things that are damn near immune to physical attacks…_

_I hope friendly fire's been turned on…or my ass is grass…_

Dashing along a path, the figure almost ran straight into a Great Malboro.

_CRAPSHIT! Damn…ok, just go the other way…_

Slipping around the pillar it was using as cover, the blurred figure ended up simply following a path BACK to where he ran into the strange half plant/half tentacle creature.

_FUCKNUT-TWATBASKETS! Great, and the only other way is THROUGH that fucker…well…time to see if this Ribbon works the way it should…_

Bounding from shadow to shadow, he slowly made his way to his target. The writhing mass of roots and eyes stopped its unusual movement, stretching out its senses. Before it could react, it felt a sharp blade pierce it from behind. Releasing a horrid screech it turned around faster than the figure anticipated, but still too slow to catch it. Rolling out of the way of a flung tentacle, the figure seemed to flicker out of view, and then reappear on the cave wall. Its position was held for only a moment, because it flickered out of view again, and the creature cried out as more of its form was sheared by its assailant's blade.

Rolling in the air to land on its feet, the figure whirled around in time to see the disgusting creature wriggle violently.

_Oh SHIT!_

The figure back-flipped repeatedly as a putrid green mist spewed from the creature's jagged maw. Noting the cave wall behind it, the figure quickly bounded off the cave wall, praying that it still had the skills to pull off its intention.

Bouncing off the arced wall, the figure vanished, appearing on the ceiling. Just as gravity was about to enact its hold upon it, the figure kicked off the ceiling at an angle, landing behind the Malboro, and outside of its "breath" range.

_Dammit…why is this thing so hard to kill?! Gah…must be because it's a fiend…but…wait…fiends…are no more than gatherings of pyreflies held together by negative emotions lingering from the hearts of the dead. Nothing more than shells…_

_And if that's the case…by removing the shell, there is nothing holding the pyreflies together…which means there's no reason that the creature can exist!_

_And if there's one thing I know how to do…_

_It's get rid of shit._

As he came to that revelation, the figure's eyes flashed silver. Hundreds of interconnected lines appeared all over the Malboro, which was wondering where its assailant had gotten to. All of the lines seemed to converge upon a single point…right above where the figure had made its initial strike.

The figure crouched and then burst into action. Sensing movement behind it, the Malboro tried to turn…but it was to no avail. The figure had pierced its 'death point' and the Malboro's form suddenly shred to particles, pyreflies released and flowing into the air before dispersing.

_Damn…that was too close…If I hadn't remembered Lulu's impromptu lesson on fiends…damn bloody voice…half a mind to just tell it to go fuck itself…but…_

It looked down the cavern way.

_I've come this far already…I'm halfway to where I need to go…no point in stopping now…_

_Never did tell me her name…_

* * *

"_Come…"_

_What? Another one?_

"_Come…me…"_

_Come…you? I…don't think I want to know what you're trying to say._

"_Come…to…me…"_

_I make it a habit to ignore any broken freaky voices in my head._

"_Free me…"_

_See that's a problem. When people get locked up, there's usually a good reason for it._

"_Need…me…"_

Floating in the depths of his mind, Zero gazed into the darkness.

_Sorry, but I've got everything I need._

"_Love me…"_

_Err…wha?_

"_Help me…heal me…love me…need me…come to me…free me…"_

_Oh…kay…getting a creepy stalker vibe here…_

"_Ze…ro…"_

_And now it knows my name. Wonderful._

"_You…need…me…"_

_I don't even know who the frig you are!_

"_Power…"_

_I have power._

"_Not…enough…more…"_

_I don't __**want **__more. I'm happy with what I have._

A glowing violet flame appeared.

"_No…you __**need **__more."_

_Oh, you can speak clearly now?_

"_I am trapped in this world. The world of-_

_Oh great, ANOTHER trapped soul._

"_What?"_

_What aint no world I heard of. They speak English in what?_

"_Wh-what?!"_

_ENGLISH MOTHER FUCKER, DO YOU SPEAK IT?!_

"_I…you…ugh…you're annoying."_

_I know. Now who are you and what are you doing in my head?_

"_I have awakened. But my body is bound. You __**must **__release me…"_

_Yeah…no. Not happening._

"_I know why _they _have appeared. I know why your world was destroyed…and I know ways to make you even stronger."_

_I'm practically a god already. I don't need more power._

"_You rely on your magicks too much. You have power…and skill…but you have used your other abilities more than your natural ones."_

…_alright…I'll give you that one…_

"_I…need to be released…you MUST release me…but as you are…you have not the skills."_

_Bullshit._

"_Perhaps. There is an item…an object called "Door to Tomorrow" in the Omega Ruins. I trust you know of it?"_

_Obviously._

"_Yes…retrieve that item. The beast, Ultima, has returned. Omega was destroyed, but his lingering feelings remained. Ultima will grow into another Omega unless you slay it…however…"_

_You want me to fight him without magic?_

"_Oh gods no. You would get slaughtered. No…I want you to __**reach **__him…with only your physical abilities. And yes, you are allowed to use your eyes."_

_What do I get out of it?_

"_I know things…things you have forgotten. __**Skills**__ you have forgotten. I know your past…I know you…help me…and I shall help you."_

_Fine. I'm bored anyway._

"_That's the spirit."_

_Your name?_

"_What?"_

_What. Is. Your. Name?_

"_My…name…is…"_

* * *

**Besaid: Midnight.**

A black cloaked figure stepped out of one of the many huts in the village.

_I don't remember where the Omega Ruins were…not offhand at least. I need a vessel…_

Leaving the village, he looked to the sky, standing next to the monument. Floating just past the temple…was the Celsius.

_Perfect._

A dome of darkness engulfed him and carried him to the docked airship…

* * *

**Besaid: Morning**

Alicia was pacing, muttering to herself. Inside her mind, Valkyrie was laughing at some of the things she was thinking about Zero's sudden vanishing act. Her favorite one was something along the lines of: "I'm gonna kick him in the nuts, kiss him until he's begging for air then kick him in the nuts again for good measure…leave ME behind the little bastard…"

Riku had a wide smirk on his face, internally laughing his ass off at Alicia's pacing. Kairi was giggling nervously, Naminé was drawing and Sora and Roxas were going back and forth about whether or not Alicia's plan would backfire on her the next time she tried to bed him.

Tidus, Yuna, Rikku and Paine all entered the hut.

"Nothing. Nobody's seen him…"

"Hmph, for that matter it looks like the Celsius is gone too."

"Wasn't that your ship?"

"Oooooh that just burns me up! Where does he get off taking our ship?!"

"Buddy and the others aren't down here…which means he took them with him. If that's the case, it's possible he doesn't plan on keeping it for long."

Alicia, sick of not knowing, whirled to Kairi.

"Kairi, can you find him?"

"I don't know…he's always the one who starts up the connection…"

"Please…just try?"

Uncertain of her ability to do much…Kairi nodded. _I have to…for Zero…and Her._

Everyone silenced themselves as Kairi closed her eyes…focusing inward.

"…_eel…e…"_

_What?_

Within her mental depths, Kairi heard a voice unknown to her.

(BGM: Wild Arms 3 – Omen)

"_Help me…"_

_Wait, who are you?_

"_Heal me…"_

_Who's there? Do you know where Zero is?_

"_Love me…"_

_Who ARE you?!_

"_Feel me…"_

_Wh-what?!_

At that moment, a brilliant flare of violet light erupted into her 'vision.' A glowing purple orb, releasing a faint but maddening voice…

"_Help me…heal me…love me…feel me…touch me…taste me…hurt me…hate me…kiss me…kill me…fuck me…fill me…"_

Slowly…Kairi's mind began synching with that of the voice…to the point where her physical body began reciting what was being said.

* * *

After a few moments of nothing…Alicia tried prodding the girl. "Kairi?"

"Help…me…"

Immediately everyone's eyes widened.

"Help…me…heal…me…love…me…feel me…touch me…taste me, hurt me, hate me, kiss me kill me fuck me fill me scold me mould me free me **BE ME!"**

"KAIRI!" Naminé shouted at the girl, her own connection to her springing to life…but that simply caused the redhead to open her eyes…eyes that were a dark crimson.

"**What…is this? Oh…I see…so the girl has a stronger connection to him than I thought…"**

Immediately four Keyblades and a sword were thrust in the girl's face.

The action was met with naught more than a giggle.

"**Please…as if you'd endanger your dear friend's life over something so trivial. Lower your weapons; I have no intention of fighting you."**

"Then get out of Kairi's body."

"**Oh I will…in a moment. The girl stumbled upon me as she was tracing the connection to our dear friend Zero. Of course, she didn't know I was holding the connection in place, cutting them off from one another so he could focus on his task rather than be distracted by some fool red head banging on his mind's door."**

"That fool redhead as you call her is our friend, we'd like her back now."

"**Very well…I've no use for this body anyway…once Zero returns with the item then I'll have my own again…how wonderful it will be to walk the surface once more…I've missed the smell of the flowers…as for her initial inquiry, well…you'll know where to go when the time comes."**

The purple glow faded from her eyes and she fell back, caught by Sora. She blinked a few times and shook her head to clear it.

"Kairi! Are you alright?"

"Yeah…wow…that was…incredible…"

"What are you _talking _about Kairi? Some spook just ghosted your body and you enjoyed it?"

Flushing, Kairi retorted.

"Well…it's not so much I enjoyed it…but…the sheer amount of _power _in that…whatever it was…but it was so…_controlled…_so…elegant…like a woven quilt…it was amazing. I heard every word she said…I _felt _every emotion she did…the level of confusion, wonder and pure _interest _she feels towards Zero…as if he's the most fascinating thing in the universe. I could feel her wants…her needs…she wants to know how he thinks, she wants to see how he reacts, she wants to FEEL how he does…as if his very existence is a puzzle to her…and she wants to solve it…"

The pure amazement on the girl's face surprised everyone present. Alicia frowned. "Should I be worried?"

"I…I don't know…I wasn't synched with her long enough to tell…but she does…_love _him…but maybe not him…but what he represents…a question, an uncertainty…a single being capable of changing the destiny of entire worlds just from a single act…And she knows things. By the GODS does she know things. She knows so much…but knows so little at the same time. I don't know who she is…or even _what _she is…but she's going to be important…and Zero is at this moment on a quest to bring her back."

"Dammit…did you get where he was?"

"Only that it ended in –Ruins. I don't know the first word…it was like a fading echo. He's safe…for now. I think I sensed she noted he was almost done actually…"

* * *

(BGM: Persona 3 – Master of Shadow)

**SFX: BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR**

_**SHIT**__-Pickle!_

Zero had reached the giant beast known as Ultima. The fight was not going in his favor. Just now, he was forced to narrowly evade a large sphere of energy fired from the mutation. And unfortunately for Zero…

_SHIT THERE'S NO WALLS!_

His evasion, a roll to the side, caused him to drop off the platform…dangling from the edge.

_Fuck, FUCK, FUUUUCK! DAMMIT VOICE!_

He cursed his employer. She had bound his powers so he would have to fight his way through the cavern with only his natural skills…unfortunately, though she claimed that she would remove the binding once he reached the target…she never did.

He relaxed his muscles then tensed, yanking his body upwards…just in time to avoid a claw swipe from the massive beast. Flipping over in mid-air, the world seemed to slow. The colors his brain picked up on seemed to invert for a moment…before a single black line appeared on Ultima's body. Drawing his glowing red katana, he twirled the blade once in his hand and then brought it through the line.

The strike acted as some sort of mini explosion for some reason, a wall of energy shattering around the beast's body, knocking Zero backward, but thankfully not off the edge again.

_Wait…was that a-_

A small green band on his right wrist began to glow. At that…he gave a very vindictive smile.

_Well…that answers my question. Now…I just need an opening. This thing is smart though…so I won't have time to charge it right off…I need to trick it…_

Back-flipping over a claw swipe, the answer came to Zero.

_Well there's the answer to that one. He's smart…it has a mind…which means it can most likely comprehend speech…and in that case…since this is Omega in a lesser form…_

"Tch, no wonder they kicked you out…you fight like a drunken barmaid."

The beast's left arm twitched, but it gave no response.

"Yep. _You _were too ugly to keep around…and your mother was a ten gil an hour hooker."

The beast roared and swung, missing as Zero jumped backwards onto the ramp leading out of the area.

"She probably blew every single Yevonite she came across. Hell probably got a few undead dicks in her too. Oh hey that means you could be the spawn of a Zombie!"

_Man I haven't ribbed some idiot like this in far too long._

Another roar, this time it tried to bring both arms down upon Zero, who rolled under the strike.

_A good opening, but his recovery time from it is just out of my timeframe…_

"So how's it feel to have been denied your right because the one who spawned you was a cock-juggling thunder-cunt?"

A glint of light.

_There!_

A series of beams began gathering at Ultima's core. As the rays became a ring, Zero began running towards the monster. Just as the sphere solidified, Zero was in point blank range. Ultima launched the sphere a half second after Zero had rolled underneath and behind the beast, right arm glowing.

The explosion blew off a large chunk of the platforms. Enraged, Ultima tried peering through the dust…when it heard a soft but defined whirring noise behind it. It stomped around as fast as it could…only to see a crackling white light in Zero's hand.

Around his wrist was a glowing green ring, and above that, rotating in place was a transparent ring, only this one red, and looking like a floating bracelet. In front of the rotating bracelet were thirteen red glowing plates that looked like glass shards pointing towards Zero's hand. Behind the plates but connected to the bracelet were four rotating plates that resembled fan-blades.

"Buh-bye."

A moment later, the rotating blades stopped, and the second they did, hundreds of random streams of color launched from the strange object. Each one pierced into a part of Ultima's body, corroding and erasing whatever it touched, until the pyreflies that it was composed of collapsed upon themselves, Ultima's form morphing into that of a tiny object that gently clinked on the ground.

The strange glowing thing on Zero's wrist vanished as he stepped forward.

"…_o…ero…Zero…Zero! Can you hear me?"_

"Louder than I'd like to, voice."

He knelt down and picked the object up. It looked like a miniature doorway, complete with knob and hinges, unusual looking runes engraved on the frame.

"I thought you said you'd undo the bind when I reached Ultima."

"_Sorry…I didn't realize how much Psychic Force that thing was creating…all I could do was watch…I trust you have it?"_

"Oh yeah sure, don't worry about me, I only took on a twenty foot tall demon with only a sword and my wits."

"_That's how I know you're alright. You're cracking jokes at a time like this…get out of there Zero. It's time for the second half of my quest."_

"Yeah, yeah…this better be worth it…"

* * *

(BGM: Ar Tonelico – Legend of Artonelico: Mule Birth)

Alicia stopped, standing rigid.

"_**A…R…"**_

"The heck…?"

"Alicia?"

The blonde started looking around frantically.

"_**T…"**_

_Valkyrie…is that you?_

"_No…I don't know who it is…"_

"I…hear something…"

"_**O…"**_

Kairi stood up. "Something? Like what?"

"A voice…but…just…letters…"

"_**N…E…"**_

"It's like whispering…in my head…"

"_**L…I…"**_

She closed her eyes…letting her senses fan out. Within her mind…was a long golden strand.

"_**C…"**_

Following the strand, she raced along a golden pathway. Streams of white began flickering in her 'vision'.

"_**O."**_

Her eyes snapped open…just as Yuna's transmitter crackled to life.

"Yes?"

"**Yuna? Good, you're ok."**

"Buddy? Why wouldn't we be?"

"**I don't know if you've noticed, but there's a TON of Pyreflies just appearing out of nowhere."**

Rikku jumped to her feet. "Hey! They're alright!"

"**Yeah, we're fine. Brother took a hit to his ego though."**

"What do you mean?"

"**Some kid appeared on the ship last night. Asked us to take him to Omega Ruins. Said we didn't need to hang around after we dropped him off…that he'd find his own way back. But…when Brother protested, the kid seemed to vanish…and then Brother got knocked out. Kid looked pissed. Called him a 'Vilgehk celg ehpnat ehclacdeym cyht aydan.'"**

Rikku and Yuna flushed heavily. Tidus ran the words through his mind, linking letters, and then gave a hearty chuckle. "Yeah…that sounds about right."

"Tidus!"

Riku was lost. "Mind telling us what that means?"

"NO!"

Tidus chuckled and decided it was worth risking Yuna's wrath.

"I think your friend called Brother a 'Fucking sick inbred inscestial sand eater.' If my Al Bhed is still good."

"TIDUS!"

Buddy chuckled over the 'com. **"Man, it sounds like you're in for it now! Anyway, we're coming up on Besaid now. Get to the ship and we'll show you what I'm talking about…"**

* * *

All over the world, Fiends were vanishing right before people's eyes, turning into Pyreflies that took to the heavens. Gasps of shock and awe simultaneously ran through Spira as they seemed to form a cloud of writhing rainbow lights.

"WOW! This is incredible!"

"So many…Yuna…what does this mean?"

Alicia stepped up.

The group was standing on the deck of the Celsius. They were following the path created by the flowing pyreflies.

"I think it has something to do with that voice I heard…"

"**Guys! According to the waves, it looks like they're all gathering at Zanarkand!"**

"Alright then. Everyone back to the bridge! Buddy, as soon as we get there, full speed to Zanarkand!"

"**Done!"**

A giant whirling mist of Pyreflies surrounded the old, decrepit Blitzball dome. Just as the Celsius reached Zanarkand, a beam of multicolored light fired into the air from the center of the dome. Nearly half the world's pyreflies were absorbed into the beam…while the others formed a spiral around it.

"Come on! This is the place!"

The Gullwings plus Tidus all raced out of the ship. Alicia was right behind them, and just behind her were the Keyblade wielders. Speaking of which…

"Why did the Keyblade suddenly show up like that?!"

"I dunno Kai, might be something important in there after all!"

As they entered…nobody noticed the beam flicker blood red for a moment…

* * *

Following the glow created from the beam, the group entered a small clearing devoid of rubble or debris. The glow faded just as they past through the sole doorway leading into the very center of the dome…only instead of running on collapsed buildings and roadways, they were on solid ground.

As they entered, they spotted a familiar figure standing in front of a smaller, unknown being. As they got closer, it became obvious the newcomer was completely nude…and in a move that nearly made Alicia trip, she jumped into the familiar person's arms and kissed him full on.

"_THAT HUSSY!" Zero…_

Kairi was the only one to notice. A series of lines suddenly appeared _around _Zero's body…before a faint glow seemed to appear…and then shatter as the girl-who looked no older than ten at _best-_ pulled away.

Long, and I mean LONG black hair cascaded nearly to the floor…ending just above her calves. Two long bangs streamed down her face and reached beyond her chest, ending just under her pelvis. She wore nothing…ghostly white skin illuminated by the faint glow of the remaining pyreflies. Dark crimson eyes gazed at the group.

"Looks like we have an audience…"

Zero stretched, feeling familiar energies course through his body.

"God-_damn_does it feel good to have it back…"

His smaller companion gave a faint smile. "I take it you missed them?"

"I'd like to see _you _take on a giant demon made up of some random dude's hatred _without magic._"

She shook her head, hair flying…and yet _still _able to cover up her naughty bits.

"I'd rather not…and besides, I _told _you I was sorry about that."

"I dunno about this one Alicia..." Riku had a dark look on his face. Irritation paramount, he decided to take a jab at Zero. "Looks like he's into little girls."

At the exact moment his sentence registered, Zero's good mood vanished and he twitched in absolute fury, barely holding back the urge to emasculate the blasted albino.

His companion on the other hand...had no such restriction.

The young girl's crimson eyes flared with anger as she flung out her hand, a sphere of condensed darkness materializing just inches in front of it. Milliseconds later, the sphere launched from her palm, the sheer pressure of its presence binding everyone in place. Riku's eyes widened in complete horror as the sudden attack neared him...before he was smacked aside by an invisible force.

The sphere continued on its path, past where Riku once stood, colliding with one of the few remaining buildings, engulfing it...only to have the building burst into particles.

"Violent little thing aint she?" Tidus quipped.

"Why?!"

"We need him." Zero looked at his new companion, who stared up at him, a confused angry glare in her eyes. "Though if he talks like that again...I'm not object to finding a replacement." The nude girl seemed placated at the response, opting to turn her glare upon the white-haired teen instead.

Something prickled in the back of Zero's mind. In a split second his jacket was off and he'd slipped behind the younger girl and draped it over her shoulders. She looked up at him gratefully as he seemed to slowly step away. After a moment, her irritated mumbling had him turning back to face her as he was about to address the group.

"What's wrong?"

Her head was lowered as her small fingers seemed to struggle with the zipper.

"Stupid fucking zipper got caught on my damn hair!"

Zero gave a snort at that. He pulled something from behind him and tossed it to her just as she managed to succeed in closing the jacket. She gave a start and barely caught...

"Ki…tetsu? What-

Decadence flared into Zero's right hand.

"I hope you know how to use that thing."

"Why?"

"We're about to have some seriously unhappy company…Alicia!"

The blonde said nothing, still uncertain about Zero's…well…just Zero. The young (HAH) warrior in question just sighed at her silence…opting to continue despite it. "Gonna need more than just your sword for this one. Beowulf will help a lot against what's coming."

The blonde just nodded.

_**Dammit woman don't be like that.**_

Her eyes widened.

_What the-_

_**Oh good, it worked.**_

_What…Zero?_

_**I know you saw her kiss me. I know what you're thinking. The kiss was a combination of her way of saying 'thank you', releasing the bind she placed on me as a test, **_**apparently **_**restoring some of my old memories that I supposedly forgot…and strengthened the connection between you and me.**_

_So…I can…_

_**Yes, it's just like with Kairi. Speaking of which…**_

_Yes, I'm here too. I heard it all._

_Wait…will she _always _be able to hear us?_

_**Nahh, open channel. Naminé can hear it as well.**_

_Forgetting about me already Zero?_

_**Well no shit…you STILL haven't told me your name.**_

_I…well…_

"It's not like I don't know who you are…"

The little girl jumped at that, her eyes widening.

"You…know?"

"Strings."

She said nothing but lowered her head…grip upon the sheathed Katana tightening.

"If you know…"

"I know who you are…but I don't know your _name._"

Her head lifted, eyes watering.

"…Feyjan."

She looked at him.

"Fey, for short?"

Rikku mouthed 'Weaver?' to Yuna who shook her head in confusion.

She just looked.

"Well it's either that or Oriko…"

"Both."

"_Both?_"

"I like them both."

"Well…pick one for now."

"…Feyjan. My name is Feyjan…"

As she said that, a series of Fiends appeared around them.

"Well then my dear Fey…let's kick some ass!"

* * *

I made a promise to an important friend of mine that this would be up last week.

I have failed.

I made another promise…that it would be up before I left for vacation.

In this, I will NOT fail.

Twenty five pages before the Author's Notes.

I wanted to throw in a fight scene for after Fey was born…but I don't have time…besides…it's as good a place as any to stop.

For anyone who knows where the idea for Fey came from SHHHH!! Don't spoil it now!

Like I said, I'm going on vacation. In fact the day after this is posted; I go back to New York for a week. Yes, I'll be around a computer, but don't expect any updates for ANYTHING…I'm not saying it wont happen, just that it's very unlikely.

And by the way, yes that is authentic Al Bhed. Thank the gods for the intraweb.

RCRS: Damn right I do. Rambling is a skill of mine…but never is it without purpose. If you liked Zero's rant, check my profile. I've got personal rants on characters I think you'll love. Need to update it though…

SPIDERS ARE EVIL.

D&S Master: Indeed. Everyone has a fear. Sometimes they don't know it, but they fear it.

Ominous? Maybe…

Well…that's all for now. Hope this keeps everyone busy for the week…


	18. Valkyrie

(BGM: Valkyrie Profile 2 Silmeria – Multiplexed Contradiction)

Zero suddenly stood upright. Roxas was the first to notice.

"Zee…what's up?"

Zero responded by immediately summoning Desolation, and slamming it into the ground in front of him. The sound paused all conversation in the hall as everyone turned to see a ring of light surround Zero's feet.

"**I am he who resides in the light of the Heavens. Thou art those who dwell in the depths of the underworld…Ye know me, and if ye do not, ye shall be made to know me. Engrave my name upon thy very souls, Zero Shinzaki!"**

Lenneth's eyes widened as her alternate future self's memories shot to full power, reminding her of this very spell.

"What is he doing, summoning a demon here?!"

"WHAT?!"

"**Thou who doth live in torment, hear my words! I, who embody the soul of Chaos, I who represent the Seven Sins of Man, call upon thou who art tormented by the gods! Answer my cry and be freed from thy unholy chains, heed my words and be released from thy torment! Follow my voice and I shall undo the shackles which chain thee to the realm of the dead, for thy souls to be cleansed and returned to the realm of man!"**

"Wait…this isn't it…this is…something else entirely!"

* * *

Two glowing red eyes snapped open. _Someone…calls? Who…? I cannot tell…yet…I sense power…power comparable to my own…to _theirs_. This power…summons my servants…_

_I shall lend aid to this force…_

_After all…_

_Anything strong enough to attract the attention of Beliza, Queen of Hel…_

_Must be an interesting presence indeed…_

* * *

"**Come to me oh tormented souls! Become as my blade, meld as my shield, and thy sins be redeemed! Rend the realm of Gods asunder with thy unholy cries! Let thy tormented wails become as sword for my hands to cleave this world in twain! Resound and be heard!"**

Ghastly cries of anguish, fear, depression, sadness and pain engulfed the ears of all who were present, god and mortal alike. Streams of glowing skulls surrounded and engulfed Zero's body, alighting him in an unholy aura of darkness.

_I just hope this works…_

He snatched his keyblade from the ground and vanished from sight, appearing moments later in front of Alicia, whose eyes widened in surprise. Everyone was paralyzed by the pressure emitting from his body. Even Odin's struggles against the unseen binds were to no avail.

_Damn, it's almost too late! I have to act, NOW!_

"**Heed the call of Destruction! Become one with the will of the True Gods!"**

* * *

_That's strange…why are all these souls flying up to Valhalla?_

_Not only that…but…I sense…Beliza's presence among them? What could that wench be up to this time?_

A flash of a blonde haired girl standing frozen in a magic glyph went through the being's mind.

_Alicia?!_

_And of that moment…could she be in danger?_

_Well then…I wouldn't be a friend of hers if I ignored this…_

* * *

He pulled his right arm back, Desolation glowing with a sickly black light. Zero thrust his keyblade forward-as if piercing something-and twisted it one-hundred-and-eighty degrees, as if unlocking a doorway.

"**Become Dust! **_**ETERNAL DAMNATION!**_**"**

From the tip of the keyblade, the glyph of Destruction appeared in all its glory. It grew to immense proportions, creating a transparent wall of symbols in front of Zero.

Seconds later, a massive beam of blinding white slammed into the wall, ripples of energy waving off the barrier as both Darkness and Light clashed. Zero's arm seemed to vibrate as the keyblade held in his hand shook violently. He threw his left hand on his right wrist in an attempt to stabilize it against the flow of pressure…it helped, but only just.

_Light alignment or not, Alicia would have been FRIED if this thing hit her! As it is I'm barely holding on here! Dammit…DAMMIT!! More! It needs more!_

His body became covered in black runes for a brief moment. The keyblade in his hands flared with dark energy, the barrier becoming reinforced.

But even with that added to it…the transparent unholy wall seemed to suddenly grow small fractures. _NO! Dammit this can't-I can't let this happen!_

But it wasn't enough. Behind him, Fayjan wanted to scream in anger. _DAMMIT! If he only wasn't using a spell native to this world! I could assist him then…but I cannot! Blast it all! My power would be more than enough to match this attack! But I must stay my hand, lest it rend this world asunder for my actions…_

More cracks appeared in the glowing wall. _This is it…I'm at my limit…after all this…after so long…it ends here? Even with her assistance awakening my forgotten memories…I am still too weak…_

It was then…that he felt a soft pair of hands wrap around his own…as a soft object pressed against his back.

_Wh-what…?_

Immediately, some of the cracks vanished. Some. Not all. But the barrier was strengthened.

"My…even with my power added to this array, it still wanes…"

Glancing back, a beautiful pale woman, wrapped in a bloodstained onyx cloak, flowing red hair streaming down the sides of her face, covered Zero's gaze.

"Queen…Beliza…"

"Impressive…of both you and your attacker. I'm amazed. Here I was under the impression I was dealing with an old wizard…but to find a handsome young man such as yourself commanding such dark magicks…"

"It's…still…not enough…" _How the HELL is it that they haven't tired yet?! Oh wait…they're Undead…and the Undead never tire…fuck._

Suddenly and without warning, the barrier flared back to completion. Eyes wide, Zero turned his head to the other side, as a wall of red smacked him in the face. Ignoring the strands of crimson dangling in his vision he gazed upon the glory of the Lord of the Undead…

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter XVII: Valkyrie Awakened**

"Brahms!"

"So…this is where they lead. Interesting."

The wall of black runes flashed white before vanishing as the attack was halted. Seconds later, Zero dropped to all fours, panting heavily.

"The attack was stopped…"

"Impressive for one so young…"

"But…how…did he know…?"

"Battle…precognition…"

The first voice rang out. "What?"

Zero slowly rose to his feet, assisted by Brahms and Beliza. "Battle Precognition…it's…an offshoot of…True Sight."

The third spoke. "Such a thing…unheard of…"

"The act…of seeing what your…opponent…is to do…before it happens…"

He shook his head.

"Like…with regular Precognition…it's fickle…comes and goes as it pleases…and generally only occurs moments before the attack. It's…useful…but only in some cases…pure training…tends to have more benefits…than relying on…psychic power…"

The second voice spoke. "I see…"

Three men in cloaks appeared. Alicia's eyes narrowed, as did the other Valkyrie's, along with Brahms.

"You three…"

Odin understood. "How is it you came to Valhalla?!"

"They stole Alicia's idea…"

Brahms nodded. "As undead, they can pass through the barrier…and reach the Rainbow Bridge Bifrost…"

"And…with their skills…wiping out anything in the way…"

Freya glared. "Why have you come here?!"

"Simple…to fulfill our desires and become Gods…"

"You…" Alicia began shaking, head bowed. "You…are the reason why my father…my _Kingdom_…was destroyed…"

Glowing runes surrounded her hands and feet, transforming into the holy weapon Beowulf.

"...you…BASTARDS!"

A pair of transparent white wings burst from her back as she launched forward, drawing her sword. As she streaked past, Brahms and Beliza shared a single look, before the Lord and Lady of the Undead joined in the fray.

Zero snatched up Desolation and began to move towards the battle when a series of thick strings launched from behind him, tangling themselves around his body and yanking him backward. Once his back hit the ground he was forced to expel the air in his lungs as Fayjan plopped down on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

"D-dammit Fay! Let me go!"

"You cannot fight this battle Zero! You have used too much energy staving off the mages initial assault!" She gave a sad frown. "You've been having nightmares again haven't you…?"

He looked away. As he did so, there was a flicker of light in front of his eyes, blinding him for a brief moment.

* * *

_**She will die you know…**_

_What?_

_**There is no stopping it…not as it is. Powerful as she is, her fate is nearly completely certain. She is to die here…unless someone outside the touch of fate intervenes.**_

_Why?_

_**The keyblade…the Great Equalizer…It is one of few worldly objects that can sever the strings of fate. You wondered where they gained such power? Time enough has not passed for them to have learned such a spell…yet they know it…**_

_Because…of the keyblade? Because of us…of me?_

_**Every action has its ripples…with every world touched by the active hand of Fate…**_

_Something changes…something big…_

_What do I have to do?_

…_**You love her so…that you would act without question? When there are others whom you could have in replacement of her?**_

_Love isn't that simple…yeah…I could have any pick of _those _girls…but something in me picked her…and dammit __**I **__made that choice, I'm going to see it through. Because I __**do **__love her._

…_**The weaver was correct. You cannot interfere physically in this battle…however…you hold the key to her survival. She is but one step away from being the warrior she truly is. Two souls inhabit one body once again…only…one is but a…mutation…of the other…**_

_Valkyrie…_

_**Because the two were at one point one, their powers are the same…their skills are the same…they are linked forevermore…**_

_I understand…But…who are you? You're not Fay so why do you help me?_

_**I am one who wishes not for this universe to end…**_

_**Be strong…Zero Shinzaki…your trials are almost complete…**_

* * *

"Guh!"

"Damn…they're stronger than we thought…"

"Thought nothing…the Lord and Lady of the Undead are here…and the Princess seems to have picked up a few new tricks…"

"To be defeated so soundly…"

"Shall we do it then?"

"We have no choice…we have come too far to be beaten now."

Immediately, Brahms, Alicia and Beliza were blown back by the sudden wave of power that emerged from the three.

"What is this ominous force? Comparable to my own…?"

The three floating men slowly drifted towards one another.

"Impressive…each one is magnifying the other's strength…this must be how they cast that strange spell before…"

"Together or separate it makes no difference! For the lives they've taken they will _**pay!**_"

_She's determined…good…that makes what I have to do easier._

Zero's body flared with energy, silently shredding the binds on him. He easily lifted Fayjan off him.

"Wait-what? How did you-

"Save it. Something big is going to happen. Something that is going to _kill _her."

"I don't-…oh…crap…"

"You see it now?"

"What can we do?"

"I've got a plan…but…"

A voice spoke up behind him.

"Whatever it is, I want in."

Zero turned his head to see Kairi giving him a determined look. He smiled.

"Good…as I am now…I hurt all over…makes focusing kinda hard."

"What are you planning?"

"Remember how I turned into that demon looking thing to kill the Not-Lezard?"

"Ye…s. Barely."

"Gonna do something like that for Alicia…only instead of _that _it's gonna be-

"Valkyrie…brilliant! What do we do?"

Another wave of force caused everyone to stumble. The three mages' bodies had vanished, turning into colored orbs that spiraled together into one. A sphere covered in symbols, runes and numerous markings appeared.

"Valkyrie is a 'mutation' of part of Alicia's soul. She is Hrist, Silmeria, Lenneth and Alicia all at the same time. Parts of each are what make up the existence called 'Valkyrie.' What we have to do is unlock the chains around their separated souls so their hearts can beat in unison."

"You mean…the way mine and Sora's did when he turned back into a human from being a Shadow…"

"Exactly. Alicia was doing so well against that guy partially from her own skills, partially from my training and partially because Valkyrie's mind was focused on the same thing hers was."

"So you want to match their minds as one…"

"Yeah. Makes sense doesn't it?"

The sphere exploded, sending waves of dark energy throughout the hall. From within the dust a large form stirred. As it cleared, everyone beheld the sight of the three mages, Gyne, Walther, and Dallas' merged form.

"A dragon. A giant dragon. Why is it a dragon? I mean, it's ALWAYS a dragon. If it's not an Angel, a Demon, a Giant Robot, a Giant Robot formed by a bunch of smaller robots fusing together, or a floating head, it's a dragon."

"You forgot the Giant Floating Robot Demon Head with Angel Wings that comes from the back of a Dragon."

Fay just stared, deadpan at Zero. Their combined form was a massive three headed black dragon. The three heads roared in unison, knocking Brahms and Beliza backward, while Alicia slammed her blade into the ground and used it as a post. The blonde stared defiantly at the dragon, watching with angry eyes as its three heads seemed to come together, a glowing light in their maws.

_That's-no! She can't stop that one! I know this attack! It pierces EVERYTHING!_

The dragon flapped its mighty wings, lifting off the ground as the three heads pulled back. Alicia tensed, ready for anything.

Fay realized what he was going to do. As he moved, she moved. Strings flew from her fingertips in an attempt to stop him, only to be repelled by what seemed to be a faint image of a spiked tail flicking around, ripping them to shreds.

The light from their mouths became blinding. Finally they thrust their heads forward, three rays of light combining into one, roaring down upon the former princess…

Time seemed to slow. In fact, time DID slow. A silver glow overtook Zero's body for a brief moment, accelerating him beyond even godly parameters. To everyone else, he simply vanished, appearing next to Alicia, and slamming his weight into her, sending her flying out of the trajectory of the incoming beam.

_I put everything into that…got nothing left…I just hope…she makes it…_

As the former princess recovered from the sudden strike, she gasped when she laid eyes upon what was to occur.

_There goes that idea…_

"Ze-

**BOOOM**

The beam crashed down upon the timeless warrior, cracking the floor surrounding the impact area.

* * *

"SHIT! That wasn't supposed to-

"Pull him out of there! NOW!"

"Hold your tongue Death! We cannot-urk!"

"I swear to all that is in this universe if you finish that sentence I will _KILL _you!"

"Do it! This wasn't supposed to be! We _can _intervene here!"

* * *

When the beam faded and the dust cleared…all that was left…was a crater…and a few faint wisps of black…

"**Hmm…we seem to have missed our target…"**

"_It matters not…he was the most dangerous of the group anyway…"_

"Indeed…"

Alicia stared at the crater, frozen in shock.

"Ze…ro…?"

Slowly, Alicia crawled over to the crater, peering into it with fearful eyes.

Nothing remained.

The three heads of the dragon roared with arrogant laughter.

The others stood rooted with shock. A small wave passed through Fay's mind. _Wait a minute…_

"Zero…he's…"

"**How pathetic. The fool boy threw it all away to save a worthless human."**

"_Despair not Princess…for you are to join him!"_

"The fool…"

"Silence."

Alicia's body began to shudder.

(BGM: .hack GU – FINAL BOUT vs. Cubia Core - Frenzy)

"You…you dare to make a mockery of the greatest warrior this world has ever seen? After all you've taken from me…you seek to take _him _from me as well?! …and here I thought you were loyal to the king Dallas…"

"Alicia…"

"You realize now…what this means…correct?" She rose slowly. "I failed protecting my Kingdom…I failed avenging my people…but I will _NOT _fail to avenge him! I swear to you...you…**will…**_**PAY!"**_

At that moment, Alicia's body flared with light…as a strange ringing noise seemed to resound within everyone's ears.

"**What is this?!"**

The glowing silhouette of Alicia grew slightly as in certain places, the light seemed to shift form, as if covering the outline of someone else. Beneath her feet a massive wave of light erupted through the ground, washing over everything. The light was blinding, everyone, the dragon included, was forced to cover their eyes in some fashion. When the light cleared, they found themselves on a starlit plain. At first, those native to the world thought it was the Weeping Lilly Meadow…until they saw the multicolored aurora in the sky…and the gigantic castle far into the distance.

A pure white shine caught their attention.

Above them they saw Alicia, floating, completely naked, surrounded by wisps of blue, yellow, violet and silver. The wisps seemed to spiral around her body, making intricate patterns in the air, leaving behind ghostly trails of sparkles wherever they passed. After a few revolutions, they swirled around her at an accelerated pace before crashing into her body. She tensed up, curling into a ball before thrusting her arms and legs out, six glowing white wings shooting out of her back.

Freya couldn't help but gasp. "This power…Valkyrie?"

Everyone, save for Kairi and Fayjan immediately looked at her in confusion and surprise.

The wings flapped once, releasing a wave of feathers that seemed to connect to Alicia's body. When the milky white mist cleared she was clad in a white battle dress. A small light grey breastplate covered her bust, while a semi-transparent silver, almost sapphire looking open skirt surrounded her legs. White boots and black laced stockings adorned her legs. She closed her eyes as her head flowed back, her already impossibly light blonde hair becoming even lighter, seeming to turn a stronger sliver than Lenneth's, whose hair truly was dark enough to almost look vaguely grey.

The body leaned forward slightly as the six still glowing wings lowered her to the ground. She landed in between the two groups, facing both her allies, and her enemy. Brahms, who had seen this transformation before, knew what to expect…but he was taken aback with what came.

Rather than opening her eyes right away, Alicia, now Valkyrie, seemed to tense up and clutch her body tightly. She gave a shrill scream as a sudden silver pattern began tracing itself along her arms and legs, culminating in a glowing symbol appearing on her forehead as a wave of energy knocked everyone, including the dragon, on their backs.

_I see now…I was wondering when it would take hold…_

As they all slowly got to their feet, they beheld a powerful aura emanating from Valkyrie. Her wings seemed to shudder and split. They shrank slightly as four more emerged from her back…the six becoming ten. Rather than her normal leggings and arm bands, the gauntlets and greaves of Beowulf had been adorned…but the biggest change…wasn't that, it wasn't even the glowing symbol on her forehead, comprised of three triangles pointing outwards slightly away from a fourth center triangle pointed downward, the three being where the flat parts of the center were.

It was her eyes.

Her eyes, which from those who'd seen her before, their memory told them they were a blazing gold…

Her eyes…were a fierce silver.

* * *

(BGM: Guilty Gear X – Awe of She)

_So…this is what it's like…to see as he sees…_

Black lines covered everything…unless the object was a dark enough color, then the lines became white.

_To know that death is all around you…to live seeing it constantly…a stronger man than I thought…that Zero was…_**Zero…**_Shall we teach these fools a lesson? _**Yes…they will pay for their crimes…**

Valkyrie…or…what Valkyrie had become…held out her right hand…the blade, aptly named Ragnarok, appeared.

"_**Blasphemers who dare defile the name of an honest and just warrior…"**_

Two voices spoke as one. The blonde maiden drew her palm along the flat of the blade, a heavenly glow rising where her fingers trailed until the entire blade itself was alight with a ghostly but hauntingly beautiful aura.

"…_**prepare to be judged."**_

Her wings flapped once, and shattered, the ghostly white feathers remaining and swirling around her body in an X shape, like an atom. She flicked her wrist to the side, a long white streak following the blade. The dragon took a step back as it saw the horrifyingly dark smirk on such a beautiful woman's face…before she vanished, and one of its heads snapped back as she slammed her foot into its neck.

"HOLY SHIT!" Roxas exclaimed. "How-

"This…" Everyone glanced at Fayjan. "Is the union between Alicia…Valkyrie…and the power of Creation unknowingly granted to them by Zero…"

The dragon roared at the female, swinging its left claw at her, only to screech in pain as she swung through a line on its far left 'finger', slicing it clean off.

"**What?! What is this?!"**

"_**This…is Our power!"**_

She thrust her right fist out, launching a wave of light at the beast. Expecting the attack to just wash over its tough hide, the dragon made no effort to even prepare for impact, which resulted in the Mages' unified form crashing to its back. Valkyrie said nothing, only moved. The Dragon lashed out with its other claw, only to have the entire thing cut to ribbons as the Holy Maiden flicked her glowing blade out faster than the eye could track. While it roared she seemed to hover backwards, body glowing brighter while the feathers seemed to arrange themselves in an unusual pattern around her.

"_**Sacred light…rain down upon they who have lost grasp of true Reason. Purify those who seek to promote mindless Destruction!"**_

"Wait…this pressure…that pattern…it's…!"

A glowing blue glyph snapped into place beneath the Dragon. The energy from its sudden appearance sent ripples of pain through their unified body.

"_**DIVINE JUDGMENT!"**_

The sky was lit up as beams of holy light rained down upon the beast; who was trapped in the holy array. Repeatedly, its body was impacted with sacred energy, piercing and searing its magically empowered hide with ease.

As the attack ended, one of the heads launched an unholy ball of dark fire at the Maiden, who easily batted it away. Seeing its example, the far left head echoed it, only with a ray of dark energy. Valkyrie easily moved to the side…but then the right one struck.

She saw it rear back and was ready to move…only to watch as the far right head swiveled around and fired at the group watching. Valkyrie's eyes widened in shock, chiding herself for not expecting such an underhanded maneuver, while inside, Alicia festered with rage.

The beam rocketed towards the group. Kairi stood ready, scared, but putting full hope in the power Zero unintentionally gave her. She couldn't see it yet, but she was certain that she would be able to see something…but she never did. As it got closer and closer, she realized…

_Oh god…it has no point! I can't stop it!_

Seconds before impact, Valkyrie appeared in front of the group. The arrangement of feathers around her seemed to detach from their revolving position and all fan out in front of her. The wall of feathers and light blocked the attack…but only just.

It was then that something within Alicia snapped.

Looking back…it would be at that moment, when they would realize she grew to become just like _him._

* * *

(BGM: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (TTGL) – Gattai Nante Kuso Kurae (Eat Shit and Combine/To Hell with Gattai!))

"_**You're going to regret-th…tha-ugh…"**_

Valkyrie suddenly flinched, clutching her head.

_A-Alicia? Alicia! What's-_

All she got in return…was an inhuman guttural roar.

"_**Kkk…Grrr…rrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!"**_

Black symbols suddenly appeared around Valkyrie's body as an inhuman scream of rage and anguish ripped from her throat. A massive wave of dark energy flew from her body, ten glowing wings of deep black ripping out of her back in a spray of blood. Her hair shimmering and becoming streaked black and grey…

But what put the Unified form of the mages into sheer terror…was when she opened her eyes.

Her eyes were red…like a demon.

Beowulf shattered into particles of light. The spirit within the weapon understanding that it had no place here. The girl…woman…beast thing…growled as her nails lengthened into razor sharp claws…and then…she vanished.

An inhuman screech of pure agony ripped through the night.

A massive gash of red and black suddenly appeared on the Dragon's torso…but it wasn't enough.

"_**Cutto…"**_

Fey immediately gasped. "Oh…I…I want to say 'oh shit' but…that…is nowhere near strong enough for what is about to happen…"

The Dark Valkyrie's body seemed to flicker…and another gash appeared. She appeared behind the dragon, before yet another gash was engraved into its back. She flickered from the right, and then appeared above it, and then to its left, then underneath it, then on its back, then in front of it, both claws glowing black.

"_**cutto…cutto…cutto cutto cutto cuttocuttoCuttoCuttoCuttoCUTTO!"**_

The demonized Valkyrie slashed both arms in an X shape, creating two final gashes in the Dragon's torso sending it flying towards the group.

"_**GRRRAAAAAAHHHHH!!"**_

She roared into the night, a wave of black ripping from her body, holding the dragon in place. She flickered…and suddenly its tail was sliced clean off. She appeared behind it, shaving off a wing before running up its back, a wicked looking scythe appearing in her hands before she sliced the left head off. Black blood sprayed all over her body but she didn't care. She jumped down, swinging the scythe down with her over her head, ripping open a gash straight down the dragon's chest before swinging horizontally and practically ripping its left leg muscles out.

The dragon stumbled as she delivered a solid kick to the wounded area, causing it to crash forward, impaling its right head on gigantic sword she materialized out of her flowing black feathers. Grasping the hilt she twisted it in, drilling it through the dragon's skull, before yanking, ripping the head off.

Everyone was horrified…but it was like watching a train wreck. They couldn't look away…no matter how sick it was. Silmeria was shuddering in terror…being held by Hrist no less.

And then she did it. She began the end of the fight.

She dashed forward, swinging diagonally down to her right. She followed with a horizontal swing, and then a direct straight lined vertical swing. She threw her weight into the swing so she was flung backward when the back of the scythe hit the ground behind her, but she went with it, bouncing off the balls of her feet and flipping forward, hopping over the dragon but sawing into the stump of its missing left head in the process. She landed behind it and then jumped away, throwing the scythe like a Frisbee, the tip embedding itself in the dragon's back as she suddenly appeared in front of it, slamming the spiked heel into its open gut, the force of the blow knocking it into the air.

"Wait…this looks…almost like Nibelung Valesti…"

But it wasn't.

The Unholy Maiden seemed to glide backward, feathers detaching from around her body and floating away…before glowing black and merging together into a sword. A sword that launched itself and impaled the beast. This happened multiple times; feathers would gather, then fuse and then a glowing black phantom blade would rocket and impale itself into the dragon. Over and over from multiple angles, happening every second…until she flung her arms out, a wave of black feathers flying from the streaks of black her claws left in the air. They gathered in a greater cluster, thousands in three locations. The three clusters fused into large spears that pulled back as if controlled by a godly hand, and slammed into the dragon. One from above and to its left, one from above and to its right, and the last from below.

The Dark Valkyrie's feet touched ground and she took to the air, body flaring with black light as all ten unholy wings bloomed from her back like a demonic flower. They flapped, each one releasing a multitude of feathers.

"_**Demon…"**_

Instantly everyone stood at attention…the first coherent word spoken since her sudden transformation.

The feathers gathered above her head spiraling and swirling, bobbing and weaving, coming together like the spirits of the undead. An unearthly glow overtook their position, the outline of a large object appearing.

"_**Lance…"**_

The glow solidified into a large black spear covered in razor sharp spikes. She grasped the arrow tipped spear and flapped once…twice…three times…each flap slowly taking her farther and farther from the suspended dragon. The glow in her eyes seemed to intensify, as she saw one single point on its body. She channeled everything she had into the spear. Her anguish, her sorrow, her pain…

And her love.

"_**ZERO!"**_

With one final cry, she launched the spear at her target. A sonic boom ripped from the air as the size and speed of her weapon almost ripped through reality itself, empowered by her emotions.

The unholy lance pierced the dragon's point…the body being ripped to shreds…but then the spear itself glowed alight with runes, symbols, glyphs and inscriptions…before detonating in a massive explosion that engulfed everything. The souls of Dallas, Walther and Gyne were erased from existence, accompanied by ear shattering screams of agony.

* * *

The light cleared…they were back in Valhalla. The group checked themselves for injuries, missing parts…anything wrong…

Before them, Alicia stood. Dark energy seeming to be absorbed into her body before the black glow faded. Her hair forever changed, streaked with faint lines of black.

She looked at them, and they her.

Fay took the chance to speak.

"Alicia…he's-

"I know. I…felt him. Take me to him."

* * *

WHOOO! Damn that was intense. This chapter didn't really turn out how I planned…I went through so many ideas in my head…but…I'm pleased with the result.

Next chapter will definitely have a lot of talking. Explanations and all that.

RCRS: yes, you are that friend. Continue feeling warm and fuzzy. Ahh…blood donation trucks…because of them people like Akiha Tohno don't have to go hunt humans. I'm glad you enjoy my rantings. It's late, but here's the new chapter…Alicia centric, just like I told you.

D&S Master: ehh, by now Yuna's forgiven Tidus, and from this chapter you can see that Alicia has forgiven Zero. Riku though…well, he never liked Zero from the start.

As for Ar Tonelico…well…lets just say I…borrowed…someone from that game.

Shit Shit SHIT! Dammit! I completely fucked up the spelling last chapter. Fayjan's name is supposed to be spelled with TWO A's not an E. A E in Al Bhed. I'm gonna have to fix that…but not now, I'm hungry.


	19. Beginning

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Chapter XVIII: It Begins…**

(BGM: Persona 3 FES – Interstice of Time)

"…I see you're all here."

The "World's most Important" as Zero called them, had gathered to The World that Never Was on his behest. He had not died in the attack made by the combined might of the Trinity Dragon, for the Gods themselves, the True Gods, had intervened at the last moment, banishing him to a dark corridor mere milliseconds away from being disintegrated.

It was from there that he delivered a message to Fayjan, one which detailed what he wished to be done.

Now, his summons had been answered. From Radiant Garden, formerly known as Hollow Bastion, came Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Tifa, and Cid. He'd sent Fay to track down and drag Cloud and Sephiroth along as well, the latter being overwhelmed by the girl's power to Weave and intrigued by her statement that her 'boss' was even stronger than she was.

From Disney Castle came Donald, Goofy, Daisy, Queen Minnie, and the now recovered King Mickey himself.

From Valhalla came the three Valkyrie; Lenneth, Hrist and Silmeria, along with Freya and Odin himself. Alicia had accompanied them as well, but Freya noted her life force was no longer connected to their world as it once was. Something the former princess resolved to confront her boyfriend about.

From Spira came Tidus, Rikku, Yuna and Paine, the four representing all of their old group.

And finally from Twilight Town came Hayner, Pence and Olette.

Of course, it goes without saying that Sora, Riku, Kairi, Roxas and Naminé were there was well. In fact it was they who had collected the others in a gigantic Gummy Ship Zero had apparently created called Shiki.

Those who had never seen the Castle before were stunned at its appearance. Those who had, were surprised that the top of the castle now had a second door. The one leading to Kingdom Hearts had a large glowing black symbol over it, one that resembled a Hazard sign. It acted as a barrier, and drew the others' view to the newer, second door. This door, looking like a simple red oak doorway, opened to a gigantic hallway covered in posters of all shapes and sizes…each one confusing and in some cases, scaring the visitors.

Some had images of some of the group, like one involving Cloud's form standing next to his old Buster Sword on a cliff, while slightly transparent images of Zack and Aerith were in the sky behind him. One had an image of Alicia being held from behind by Silmeria, the image Alicia staring ahead in fear while Silmeria steadied her blade arm.

But the one that surprised Sora's group the most, was a giant poster of him and Roxas standing back to back, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, Mickey, Goofy, Donald and DiZ on either sides of the two, while all thirteen members of the order stood behind them.

"What…the hell is this?"

* * *

"I see you've made it."

The hallway opened up to a very large room. More posters decorated the walls.

"Zero…what the hell-

"In due time Riku. Please, all of you, by all means take a seat."

The youth gestured to the large array of tables and chairs scattered around the area, the room that could only be called a dining hall. The group did so, warily.

"I'd go through the formality of asking you all what you'd like to drink but…I believe you've been…unnerved by the pictures around you."

"No shit." Cloud stated.

"Then I will cut to the chase. Time is of the essence so I shall make this as brief as possible. All of this…is related to you. All of you."

"Why do you have these pictures of us?! Where did they come from?!" Leon blurted out.

"They came…from my home."

Alicia's eyes widened. The pieces had already begun falling into place. She remained silent, waiting for confirmation.

Sephiroth however was not as patient. "Explain."

"Sephiroth…son of Jenova, space parasite crashing upon the planet of Gaea."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. "How do you know that?"

"Cloud…proclaimed failed clone of Sephiroth in the deranged professor Hojo's Jenova Project. The only survivor of a mass attack on both Cloud Strife and Zack Fair; SOLDIER, First Class." Tifa and Aerith both looked at Cloud in shock, realizing this kid knew stuff that'd taken them forever to pry out of the blonde and turned back to the young man, who'd taken to another group.

"Tidus; Son of Jecht; Guardian of Braska; Father of Yuna…you were once the dream of the Fayth brought real to end the cycle of death and rebirth perpetuated by Yu Yevon's summoning and subsequent inability to control the god-like being known as Sin."

Riku slammed his fist on the table, causing many to jump. "DAMMIT! How do you know all this?! Just who the hell are you?!"

Zero bowed his head. "I…am the sole survivor of a world that existed over five universal centuries ago. A world that grew beyond its parameters far sooner than it should have. A world destroyed by the hand of Fate for stepping into the realm of the True Gods. The world…that created all of yours."

"Bullshit." Leon.

"Is it though? By the way Squall…how's Rinoa?" That question made Leon turn pale.

"I thought so. You see, I know all this…because on my world…long ago…you all…were nothing but data."

"…what?"

"You heard me. On my world your lives were played out. Your dreams, your hopes, your adventures, your successes, your failures…all of that was nothing more than a source of entertainment for us. You were nothing but fictional characters thought up by writers then given form by artists who then enlisted the assistance of programmers to bind your stories, your homes, your _worlds _to little disks which were packaged and shipped to stores around the globe, where people of all ages would purchase and begin your quests, controlling your bodies, commanding your actions. Your lives became entertainment, a story for us to immerse ourselves into, a game to play to take our minds off the stresses of reality. Everything that has happened in your lives was because someone in my world wrote it out and turned it into a book, a game, a movie, or both."

Shocked silence.

"Now, while you're digesting that, here's your dessert. None of you should exist right now. Not. A. Single. One. Yet you do. And you have the Fates to thank for that. You see, it appears that when Clotho destroyed my world for its impudence, she did it in such a way that caused the Fictitious worlds we'd created during our times to come into birth upon the death of mine. As my world was destroyed, all of yours came into existence, your histories being written as was by the writers from when my world prospered."

"Sick bastards…we're nothing but toys for you?!"

"No…that's not it at all…"

Everyone turned to Alicia…who'd never stopped looking at Zero once.

"As we are now…we are who we are. He's saying that on his world…centuries ago, centuries before any of us existed…we existed as fiction. A creation of someone _else's _dreams and thoughts. For them, our lives were static. They had already been written and would follow pre-set paths depending on the player's actions…right Zero?"

A nod. She continued.

"Therefore what he is saying _isn't _that our lives are but a game to his people, but that we didn't _have _lives back then. _We _didn't exist. What he is saying is that exact replicas of us existed in his world only as static beings that would only do as they were programmed, because they were created for the sole purpose of entertainment. Any blood that was shed was nothing more than code, any emotions that were shown were nothing more than scripts being written and read."

Mickey voiced his confusion. "Then what does that mean for us?"

"It means our lives followed the paths they did because they had _already happened_ but in a different form…right Zero?"

"Yes. From what I can gather, before I awoke, your lives as they were in our Games played out exactly as they were scripted to for the best possible endings attainable. Meaning you acquired the most important and powerful weapons, you defeated most if not all of the optional bosses required for the Best Ending…basically all the events that happened, happened in a way already mapped out by my people, but happened for the most beneficial endings possible. For example, Tidus was written in two ways. One, at the end of Final Fantasy X-2, which is the game that Yuna's sphere hunting group, the Gullwings made their debut, there were two possibilities. Vegnagun would be defeated and in the ending, Yuna would be alone. That was the normal ending. What happened in their lives however, is the 'Good' Ending, which only happened when certain conditions were met. Tidus would return to Yuna, and they would live happily from then on. However…there is something else I noticed…"

"And that would be what?"

"Certain…events…in your lives…seem to have been keyed to how _I _played."

They all blinked.

"Let me explain. I've played basically all the games each and every single one of you have been involved in. Beaten pretty much most of them with damn good levels and the like if I remember correctly. However…I never _got _the good ending for Tidus and Yuna, and only know of it because it was considered to be the True Ending. Sora…have you ever been able to defeat the Roxas Data at Radiant Garden?"

Surprised from being put on the spot so suddenly, it took a moment for the teen to answer. "Ahh…no…no I haven't."

"Neither have I. Bloody bastard hits like a fucking truck. Closest I could get is maybe half his health down before he enters god mode, laser spam's and then triggers a reaction to which I instinctively succeed at, only to find myself being surrounded by beams as he flips out and doesn't give me a damn opening. And Larxene's Data, wiped you out in a single cast of Thunder, right?"

He flushed. "Y-yeah."

"That's what happened when _I _played against her. First fight **ZAP **Game Over screen, I'm laughing my ass off at how quickly she wiped me out. And cursing. Pleeeenty of Cursing. Alicia, you've been to the Seraphic Gate right?"

"Yes…I…think."

"Took out Iseria Queen?"

"Indeed we did…though I must say…she had me worried for a moment there."

"Ahh, Hrist, you were present for that fight as well?"

"Alicia, Freya and I were fine…Rufus however…"

"Was out like a light right?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, sorry about that. My Rufus was at a rather low level…decent guy and all, but I preferred the Einherjar Archers over him before that because _THEY _learned Stardust and god DAMN is that move god for gaining crystals. But then I looked up what your heat ratings were and saw that outside of Valkyrie herself, Rufus had the only Soul Crush that would bring the bar back to 100 on a third link for a chain. So I cursed a bit and resigned myself to using him a bit more until I landed Valkyrie, where SHE would be third in the chain because Hrist and the goddamn Gungnir combined with Psychosoma on a Final Link SC Chain would deal over 11k on the last hit. So if I went in the order of Freya, Alicia, Rufus, Hrist, I'd be taking out an eight of Iseria's health in a single chain, more if I time my combos right so Freya's booting her over the head so everyone else can get a clear shot and not be blocked by all that damn armor."

"Yes…I remember that tactic…it saved our lives."

"That and running like a pussy when someone was close to death and you needed time to fish out a friggin item."

"Y-yes…that too."

Aerith piped up. "I don't understand…what does that mean for us now?"

Alicia jumped in. "It means nothing. All he did was tell us our true origins. It doesn't change who we are, or what we've gone through. If anything it tells us _why _we went through those things."

Kairi piped up herself. "It also explains how he knows everything he knows…about us, about our homes and our lives. He's seen it all."

Zero gave a wry smile and shook his head. "That…and more than I'd like to remember."

Kairi blinked. "What do you mean about that?"

Alicia noted the way his smile shifted. _Oh gods he's going to say something messed up isn't he?_

"My world created the…disturbingly vast phenomenon known as…Fangirls."

Every man in the room, Sephiroth and Odin included, shuddered as one. Then, they all looked at each other wondering "_why did we just do that?_"

"It seems that the subconscious fear of that word has been engraved upon your psyche. But there _is _one thing worse than that. _Yaoi_ fangirls."

That made some of them want to throw up for an inexplicable reason.

"What the HELL is that and why do I want to throw up at the thought of it?!" Cloud demanded.

"Female humans that enjoyed the thought of two male characters joining together in a romantic and or sexual relationship. Generally those in the group mentioned would be somewhere between the age range of around twelve to eighteen, but women older than that were known to become Yaoi Fangirls as well. These creatures would imagine up two characters taken from popular media and pair them together, some did it innocently, the relationship being a slight extension of something that was potentially already there, and others…well…it got a liiiiitle disturbing."

Noting the look on Tidus' face…and remembering how he ignored her before…Yuna got her revenge. "Like how?"

"You want an example?" The men shouted no, but…the girls screamed yes louder.

"Jeez blow out my ears why don't you…fine fine…hmm…"

He gazed to the ceiling in thought. "Well…let's give a simple example by taking Sora and Riku." Their eyes widened while Kairi rubbed her hands together greedily. She wanted blackmail material dammit.

"Unfortunately for them, the writers of Kingdom Hearts happened to give them an apparently LONG history of rivalry and friendship. Yaoi Fangirls gobbled that up and twisted it into the grounds for many, MANY types of varying relationships."

"DETAILS DAMMIT!"

"Sheesh don't get your knickers in a twist Kai, I'm getting to it. Well, actually, rather than torture the rest of the room with the idea, I'll just…"

He glowed for a moment, as Kairi did the same. Through their link he sent her a few…images.

Kairi gasped…then she smiled. A disturbing evil looking smile that sent chills down Riku and Sora's spines.

"And here's one for kicks."

Another image. This time her head whirled around to Roxas.

"Oh shit."

"Yeah, Roxas, your…special conditions of existing had brought out a very…convincing reason why you and Sora should be together…it's quite disturbing."

For every female in the room, he flashed images of his examples, using people they knew as templates. Some of them were disturbed. Others got evil little smiles on their faces much like Kairi.

"Of course…like anything in this universe, there is an opposite. Oddly enough, this one happened to possess a large amount of both men and women at its behest. Yuri, or the romantic and or sexual relationships between females of media."

The smiles immediately vanished from the girls, and appeared on the guys.

"Squall…you never got much time with Rinoa did you?"

"World vanished before we could do much…"

Instantly a few images appeared in his head.

"What the f-…do you have more?"

Zero fell to the ground laughing.

Images began appearing in the guy's heads.

Tidus blurt out. "Damn Rikku I didn't know you could bend that way."

Zero laughed harder at Rikku's indignant screech.

"Rule 34 of the internet: If it exists, there is porn of it. I swear, even before my world discovered magic, it seemed to magically create anything someone thought of. Like if someone imagined Cloud being tied up by the Midgar Zolon while Sephiroth beat off watching Zack slowly forcing Cloud to submission, either someone wrote a piece on that, or an image of it would suddenly generate itself on the web."

Aaaand that killed Cloud's good mood.

"Yaoi Fangirls at work. I've run into so much of that crap over the years that I can pretty much run into _anything _of that nature and not be disturbed by it."

* * *

"_**If you're done disturbing our guests, we have a bit of a situation."**_

(BGM: Metroid Prime 2 – Escape Theme)

Loud Klaxons began wailing in the room.

Immediately Zero sobered up. "That time already Fay?" _**"Yes, I've been keeping tabs on things. It all happened like you predicted. I'm amazed; I didn't expect anything to go as you said it would…"**_

"How about our other plans, are they in motion?"

"_**Other than the Big Kahuna, yeah. Everything's happening like you said it would."**_

"Uhh…Zero…what's going on?"

"Oh nothing, just your worlds being overrun by the Genma."

"Oh ok…**WHAT?!"**

"_**Massive readings from Wonderland! The kingdom's warriors are dropping like flies! How the hell did they get so strong?!"**_

"It's the underlying fundamental rule of the universe, if it can go wrong, it likely will. Pull up a link to Alice."

"_**Establishing…link engaged, fire away Zee."**_

"Oi! Kit!"

A faint female voice rang through the hall.

"**Wait…is that…Zero?"**

"Right in one kit. Having a spot of tea are we?"

"**If by tea you mean those bloody wankers from before then yes!"**

"Hah, don't get too worked up there Alice. I'm sending reinforcements, but they're gonna look a little weird. Do me a favor and spread the word not to attack anything with a pink cord coming out of it."

"**You got it mate! Just hurry up with it! The Dee's aren't able to hold off this many!"**

"Fay!"

"_**On- HOLY SHIT! Is that what I think that is?!"**_

"Yep."

"_**When did you-**_

"Looong time ago."

"_**But-…these are…you realize the sheer DAMAGE these things can do if left unchecked?!"**_

"They've got my symbol don't they?"

"_**I…well…alright. I understand. They're tied to you though, so you have to give the command. I'll unlock the ones you specify."**_

"Zero what's going on?!"

He gave them all a vindictive smirk. "Oh just the collective destruction of all your worlds."

Immediately Keyblades flashed into the bearers hands…save for Kairi and Naminé.

"What are you doing Zero?"

"The only thing that could be done to end this stupid little game."

"_**All set!"**_

"Activate Command: ADR Release! Zero-Two: Designation Searcher, Zero-Three: Designation Pendulum Feet, Zero-Four: Designation Bubbles, Unlock!"

"_**ADR's two, thee and four released!"**_

"Target Destination: Planetary Dimension Classified; Wonderland. Method of Transport: Unstable Interdimensional Gateway: Classification, Dark Corridor."

Three holographic screens appeared showing his commands. The observers gazed in confusion as the screens scrolled through images and text that none of them could decipher.

"_**Destination set, waiting your confirmation."**_

"Confirm! Activate Program!"

"_**Program Activated! ETA: Thirty Seconds!"**_

"Fay, up for a bit of hacking?"

"_**You know it!"**_

"First, open a window to Wonderland; I wanna keep an eye on Alice."

The three screens fused into one and moved off to his right. Static was shown for a few moments before the world of Wonderland appeared on it, thousands of Mindless battling Card Soldiers and Waddle Dee's.

"Link us to the Radiant Garden Main Computer."

"_**Establishing link…Access Denied! It's protected!"**_

"You know the password."

"_**It's not working!"**_

"Squall did you change the damn password?!"

"What? No! It should be the same as it was after Sora left."

"_**Dammit Tron! Let me in!"**_

"Not his fault Fay, he's just a program. As far as he knows we're part of the Order trying to destroy his home. Alright, we'll have to go to plan B. Take him offline. We _NEED _control of the security system!"

"_**Gladly! Take THIS you little twit! Command Set!"**_

"Run Program: Disabler."

"_**Executing Command! Thank the Gods he's out of the way!"**_

"Run Program: EXECPURGER Aurica Extracting!"

(BGM: Ar Tonelico EXECPAJA/.# Orica extracting)

"_**Wait WHAT?! How did you-**_

"I'm Awesome like that."

"_**You hacked the security system to play a SONG?!"**_

"Agh NO you dumbass! The song activates a program I buried in the system! Just open a window to the Garden and watch!"

Another screen appeared, this one showing hundreds of Mindless attempting to slaughter anything in their path.

"_**Activating Program!"**_

"_**Wait…this is…holy CRAP!"**_

On the screen everything seemed to flicker. The once meager security system consisting of containing and then detonating anything captured changed into a group of glowing rifts. From the rifts emerged strange symmetrical creatures…all of which bore the sign of Destruction.

"_**YOU TOOK OVER THE MUGAN?!"**_

"Yep. Garden's security sucked, so I made it better."

"_**You're insane! Those things could wipe out the whole world!"**_

"Oh come on you know me Fay, you really think I'm gonna leave them to their original specifications?"

"_**I…you're an even greater Weaver than I am…how is this possible?"**_

"A trait…one I picked up from a good man by the name of Matsuda Takato. The Biggest Dreamer."

"_**No wonder…I can see why she's afraid of you…"**_

"Zero…I'd like an explanation. _Now._"

He turned to Alicia.

"Sorry. I had to get you all away from your worlds. To explain your origins…well…that simply opened the gateway to your worlds much wider. This let the sealed away Clotho reach in and plant her Genma into your worlds…Fay! Launch the ADR's! Send them to each world being assaulted!"

"_**On it!"**_

"See the problem was that she was hidden. She could attack the cores of your worlds even though her power was supposed to be bound. She brought the Genma, known to you as the Mindless, back to this reality. I don't know where my world is in relation to all of yours, so in order to find it I had to let her over extend herself. The Cellars were apparently part of a plan to release her binds…but I accidentally made that plan useless by giving her a better way out…"

"When you freaked out over those spiders…"

"Yeah. By tearing a hole in reality on a world she had access to, I gave her a backdoor. So I realized the only way to combat her would be to go to the source, where she was bound…but I don't know where that is. So, I had to lure her out."

Odin was intrigued. "Therefore by using our homes as bait, you succeeded in drawing the larger threat out…correct?"

"…yeah. I knew there would be a massive loss of life either way, so I took the option that lead to being able to end this stupid war faster. I planted a bunch of links to your worlds, which Fay strengthened over time, while Sora and his group were gathering you all to come here. The ADR's will be able to help in the defense of your worlds, but the damage would already be done, her power would still be on your worlds, which, with a little help, would let me pinpoint her. Fay…it's time."

"_**Already? Alright. I'll begin the program."**_

"There's one thing though, that needs to be done. You can come out now."

* * *

(BGM: Valkyrie Profile – How Wicked Ruler)

Twelve domes of dark energy appeared behind him. When they vanished…

"O-Organization XIII?! Zero what the hell-

"Relax. They listen to me now. Larxene."

The sole female of the group rose her left hand…upon which glowed the sign of Destruction.

"They have free will, but if that free will goes against what I wish of them, then they will encounter…problems. And if they persist, they will be eliminated from within."

"Failsafes within failsafes…you really do plan for everything…don't you?"

"Some things just can't be planned for. But I try to cover as much ground as I can." He turned to the group. "You know your orders. Get to those worlds, find their cores and plant the Gate Keeper. Once the Gate Keeper has been planted, flare your energy as a signal. We'll do the rest. Wipe out whatever stands in between you and the core, be it Heartless, Nobody, Genma…or civilian."

Demyx blinked. "Wait…you're giving us permission to kill humans?"

"Only if they attempt to impede you. Time is of the essence here, and no stupid mortal is going to stand in between me and my goal. I've worked too damn hard and given up too much to that bitch to waste my time here. If it tries to stop you, it dies, end of story."

"_**In other words, you kill only what moves against you. If something's off to the side leave it be. But if it tries to impede you, you have his permission to wipe it out."**_

"Understood." Xemnas spoke. "But…does our presence here not mean that you yourself have been weakened?"

"Considerably. But it's still enough to do what must be done. All you beings did was boost what was already there. It was a massive boost indeed, but still just a boost. What I may now lack in power I can easily make up for in skill."

"Well said."

"Indeed. Very well. You understand your mission. Good Hunting. Dismissed!"

They vanished. Zero tossed a small pink globe to Roxas, who caught it.

"Roxas, take Hayner, Pence and Olette back to Twilight Town. Use the green ship. Drop them off, then head to the mansion. Flare your element and a door should appear. Toss that into the glowing ball and flare your energy again."

"I…what?"

"Just do it ok?"

"Yeah…sure."

"Alicia, take the red ship, bring Odin and your group back. Drop them off and head back here, they can handle the Genma themselves, I need you with me."

"Alright."

"Sora, take Tidus and them in your ship and drop them at Spira. Double back here as fast as you can."

"On it!"

Riku, take the King and his group back to his castle. Stick around for a bit if you have to, to wipe out a few Genma, but get back here once you're done."

"Wait, why are we doing this?"

"To stop those worlds from dying."

Riku blinked. "Oh…right."

"Kairi, think you can pilot?"

"No problem."

"Take Squall and them back to the Garden. The security system there should be enough to hold things off, but it's best to have actual warriors there as well."

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Wh-what about me?"

"You, Naminé, are going to help me design a ship. I'm pretty sure there's gonna be something in between us and getting to Clotho, and you're going to help me and Fay come up with a ship that's fast, maneuverable, and able to take and deal some damage if need be. All my ships tend to lean towards speed and firepower."

"…alright."

"Good. Lets get moving people, we've got worlds to save!"

* * *

This chapter is very WTF. I wanted to do a massive reveal of back-story, throwing everyone's origins into their faces…but…to do that I'd need it to be a friggin anime. Which this isn't. So, this is the result of three weeks of planning. Yes, three weeks. The end is coming for this story…I've got almost the entire final chapter written, and I've got a damn good idea for an epilogue which will leave way for a potential sequel or spin-off.

This chapter has been written over the course of three days, and in roughly two hours (It is now 12:40 AM as of this sentence, Eastern US time.) I start my first "day" of my second job.

RCRS: still no idea what to name yourself? Don't think too hard. Play some stuff, something good'll come to mind. Looks like I didn't scrap this idea entirely…

D&S Master: A pissed off Alicia you mean. Valkyrie had nothing to do with what happened in the end. It was all Alicia. Every heart has the capacity for darkness, and within Alicia's heart lay a great deal of it, tempered with her own Light.

It matters not though…because soon…the final battle will begin…


	20. Song of the Goddess

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Final Battle**

(BGM: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann – Libera me from Hell)

He slowly stood. The one being who could put an end to it all. In front of them floated the cackling creature that was behind all of the events that had happened thus far, the mutated form of Clotho, Weaver of the fates.

The others around him shakily got to their feet. Sora, Kairi, Riku, Roxas, Naminé, they all grabbed their Keyblades. The forms of Twelve of the Thirteen Nobodies stood with them. Each one holding their respective weapons. Alicia stood next to Zero, Ragnarok in hand, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

"Still you stand? Have you not yet learned I cannot be destroyed?"

Zero shook his head.

"By us alone you are untouchable…"

"But combined, our strength outclasses your own!" Alicia's eyes glowed a fierce blue.

Sora glared at the floating head. "You've knocked us around a bit and think you've won?"

Riku scoffed. "You're strong, we'll give you that, but you haven't won yet!"

Kairi nodded. "We can't give up here! Not now that we've come so far!"

Roxas flipped his Keyblades in his hands. "Give up? No way. We're just getting started."

Naminé grasped her own Keyblade tightly. "After all this, after everything we've done, you think we're going to sit down and let you beat us?!"

Xemnas' form chuckled. "These Keybearers are correct. You have yet to see everything we nobodies are capable of…"

Zero's form began to glow faintly.

"You call yourself Fate…but you know nothing about our strengths! The worlds we've been to, the battles we fought to protect them, all of it was just preparation for this moment! Our backgrounds are varied, our goals are different, but our wills are connected by one thing! And that is the need to defeat you!"

Strings of energy whipped around his body. Instantly they all lanced out and connected to the bodies of those around him. And from them, more strings appeared, all linking together in a wide web. The bonds between worlds had come alive.

Zero shook his head sadly. "This is all my fault. When I went to take back my body I released you. But I'll fix that now. WE will fix that now! Together, all of the worlds as one, we WILL defeat you! Once and for all, your machinations will end here Clotho! No longer shall your will reach the cores of our souls!"

His eyes blinked as a single tear rolled down his cheek. "I understand now…why I was given the power I was…it was for this. My destiny, my _fate…_was to end your hold on the worlds. All the people who gave their lives for me…the people who died to get me off that world before it was wiped out by your forces…their hopes, their dreams, their wills lie within my heart! For that reason I will never give up!"

The single tear dropped to the ground, and when it did, a massive glyph appeared beneath Zero's feet.

All over the Universe, the varied inhabitants of the worlds watched as the small group of people stood against the massive force that was Fate.

* * *

Dante and Lady stood together, their eyes locked on the group that stood against a God.

"Come on Kid…you gotta pull this off…"

From behind them, a familiar voice called.

"Dante!"

The white haired man angled his head slightly. "Oh hey kid. See you decided to join the party."

"What the hell is going on here?! You could see that thing from all the way over on Fortuna!"

Nero and his girlfriend Kyrie trotted up to Dante and Lady.

"Well, as far as I can tell, we've got a kid like you fighting against an actual God. Just like you. Hey! You'd probably get along well!"

The red-haired Kyrie was confused. "A…God?"

That's when a different voice rang out. One that only three of their group of four recognized.

"One of three Goddesses of Fate actually."

Dante froze. _No…fucking way._

"Vergil…"

From the shadows emerged a pale skinned man wearing a sky blue long-coat. His white hair was slicked back. "We meet again…brother."

"So you _didn't _die on Mallet."

"Oh I very much did. But it would seem that my connection to this world was kept in tact by this boy's right arm…and your little friend fighting Clotho up there. For you see, this world…no…the entire universe, has become unstable because of their presence. This battle…will decide whether we all live…or die."

"Still as dramatic as ever aren't you Vergil?"

"At least I'm not as bad as that fool Agnus. On my way back I encountered his stuttering imbecile of a soul…ugh…that man…is very…annoying."

"I never liked him much either…and definitely not after what he did…smelled like a wet cat."

Nero couldn't help but stare at his girlfriend.

"What?"

"You…_never _say bad stuff about people."

She leveled a stare at him. "He kidnapped me and shoved me in what might as well have been a bad tentacle hentai. I think I have the _right._"

Dante started laughing at Nero's plight. "Kid, you still have a lot to learn about women."

Two smacks rang out as not only Lady, but the just arriving Trish smacked Dante upside the head.

"So do you!" They said in unison.

Vergil gave a small smirk, his attention on the battle above them. "It looks like your young friend is about to make his move. Provided he wins this…I would greatly enjoy the honor of battling him."

"Pfft, he'd kick your ass."

"If so then it would be a welcome defeat."

* * *

Odin and the Valkyrie watched as Alicia stood confident and ready.

"She has grown, hasn't she?"

Brahms stood to the side, watching the glowing form of the young man that stood against Fate.

"Go Zero…show me that you are worthy to stand by Alicia's side…"

* * *

Leon and the Hollow Bastion group watched, waiting. "So it's come down to this. Sora…don't die…"

Even Sephiroth had joined, watching with a half interested smirk. "That boy…he has a great deal of power in him…to stand against Fate itself…I must admit, he would be a worthy foe…"

* * *

The Twilight Town group watched, waiting for the next move.

"Come on Roxas! Kick that thing's ass!"

"Olette!"

"What?"

"Agh…never mind. COME ON ROXAS!"

* * *

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Daisy, Chip and Dale all stood outside the castle, watching the warped field…waiting…praying.

"Come on you guys…you can do this…beat this thing and come back safe…"

* * *

Back at the battlefield, Zero's body had practically become a whole wall of light.

"Even with the thought of death in our minds, never will we stop fighting!"

"Together, combined with the might of the Universe itself, our power is unmatched!"

"We, the masters of the Keyblade, the bearers of the Light of Destiny stand in defiance of your will!"

"We won't give up! We will not fail!"

"Our might is unmatched, our will is strong!"

"You dare question our will?! You seek an example of our strength?! Our faith is strong, our hopes are great! We'll show you what happens when you threaten our homes!"

The glyph expanded to below the entire group. As one, their minds and souls were united.

"_**WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE?!"**_

The group vanished in a wave of light. They all streaked towards the giant tentacled head. The Mutated God roared in defiance of their will.

Pellets of energy slammed into its eyes as a series of whirling lances tore into its sides. Torrents of flaming sakura petals engulfed the Mutated God as gales of lightning crashed into it from all sides. Spears of Ice and Water pierced its ghostly flesh and a series of exploding cards rammed into it from all directions. Giant boulders crashed into the beast and the dust particles formed into sheets of paper that summoned forth beams of lunar energy. A giant orb of nothingness engulfed the Mutated God before compressing.

Zero and the other Keyblade wielders charged.

Naminé leapt first, only to be restrained by phantom tendrils racing from the Mutated God's head. Her job was complete however…

Riku came next, firing a pulse of dark energy that slammed into the God, before he too was wrapped up.

Roxas raced towards the god as Naminé's unseen action increased the power of his blades. Two waves of energy, one dark, one light raced from his hands and slammed into the monster before he was bound as well.

Sora jumped in the air and launched his Keyblade. The spinning weapon became engulfed in energy and tore straight through the outer layer of the God's shell. From within, another set of tendrils launched and bound him as well.

Kairi sliced through tendril after tendril, cutting a path closer to the Mutated god. Finally she saw the line that represented a fault point of the god's second layer. She sliced through it, opening a big gash before being bound by another set of tendrils.

"Alicia! Go for it!"

The light haired girl raced for the inner layer, evading multiple tendrils herself. Inside, showing actual fear, was Clotho, surrounded by dark energy. Alicia pulled back and begun her assault.

"**Hi-Ougi!"**

A diagonal slash from over her left shoulder down to her right hip was her first attack. She twisted and swung again, left to right, horizontally. Her third attack was a powerful stab right in Clotho's chest. And finally came a hard diagonal swing from her left hip to the air, bringing Clotho up with it. The Goddess became engulfed in a sphere of pure white. Alicia took to the air, gathering every bit of energy she could, forming Six glowing pure white wings of energy.

A series of glowing red broadswords appeared around the sphere, each one rocketing forward and impaling it, causing the sphere to look like a giant pincushion.

Zero appeared at her side. She grabbed his left hand with both of hers, flapped her wings and then launched him forward.

The bound Goddess could only watch in fear as his form tore through the air, strands of energy linking to his right hand. The power of the Hearts of all the worlds in the Universe gathered to him. The Keyblade that once looked like a double helix flared with light as its form changed one final time. Zero pulled his arm back as he saw it, the one spot, right on Clotho's forehead. The glow faded as the Keyblade turned into a giant cross with a circle around it. The Ultimate Keyblade, created by the Heart of the Universe, the Grand Cross.

"_**Mugen Rakutan saseru: Shinigami no Requiem!" **_(Infinite Crush: God Slayer's Requiem)

He slammed the tip of the red staff, for the Keyblade had become a cross shaped staff and Zero held it by the cross, into the Point of Death on Clotho's forehead. A massive flare of energy raced through the field of battle, disintegrating the tendrils that bound the others as Clotho's inhuman scream of agony pierced the souls of all who were present. Her body was torn to shreds by the force of the attack and her soul, the key of her continued existence was engulfed in the energy released from Zero's attack.

There was a massive explosion…

And then the world went black…

* * *

"Get out of here guys."

"Wh-what?"

"You heard me, go!"

"Why! Why without you?!"

"Look, I'll catch up later, I promise. I have to do one last thing before all this can end."

"Why alone?!"

"Because I can't do it and keep an eye on you guys at the same time dammit! There's a ship about ten meters to the east from outside this room. Take it and get out of here."

"But-

"Alicia…please. Trust me."

"I…fine. But you'd better hurry, or I'm coming back after you!"

**Keep her from doing that Kairi.**

_What? Why?_

**Please. It's the last thing I'll ever ask you to do.**

_I'll do it._

_Naminé? Why are you-_

_I owe him. I'll keep her on the ship._

**Thank you.**

"Go!"

With hesitant steps, the group left. Zero watched them go silently.

"I should have known it was you. Only you could pull something like this…"

A female image began fading into existence behind him. The figure was with long black hair reaching all the way down to just below her knees, floating before him, her pale skin glowing with an ethereal light.

"Miranda."

* * *

"There it is!"

The group found the gummy ship, being completely different from the flying fortress they came in on. Unlike their black and red ship, this one was all red, with violet scattered around. It looked more like something built for speed, rather than power.

"I'll start it up!"

Naminé ran into the cockpit, engaging all the systems, prepping the ship for lift-off at any moment. Alicia waited by the loading ramp, poking her index fingers together in nervousness.

* * *

"This is bullshit…and you know it."

"I know…I'm sorry."

"Why you? Why us?"

"You know why. I was naturally the most powerful being on our planet, and you…you found a way to match that. It only makes sense."

"Dammit Mir! You're supposed to be pissed about this!"

"I was…at first. I've lived every day just as you have. I've watched everything…remember who's power Clotho was wielding back there."

"Damn Gods…should wipe them all out."

"And un-do everything you've worked so hard to achieve? I know you Zero, you won't do that."

"But…DAMMIT! Why?! Gods I'm SICK of this! Why can't I be happy with something dammit?"

She wrapped her arms around his waist, her chin resting on his shoulder.

"We were perfect for each other…perhaps too perfect…but…you found someone else."

"You did it didn't you? You led me to her."

"Well…I had a hand in things yes. I didn't want you to be alone forever…I NEEDED you to have someone else…someone to do what I can no longer."

"It doesn't have to be this way…"

"Yes, yes it does. I'm tired Zero. You know it, and I know it. I want to be with you, I want nothing more than to go back to our lives…but we can't. I've been here for so long…If I remain…nothing will change. The universe will destroy itself and everything we hold dear."

"Why…why do I have to kill you…?"

"I'm already dead honey. I've been dead for centuries…all that's left is my spirit…and I'd want nothing more than to have my rest by your hands. If I don't fall here…the Genma…our world's creation…will continue to exist. They exist because I do…and if I go…they go."

"…you're going to sing either way aren't you?"

"Yes."

"…I hate you sometimes Mir."

"I know. And I'm sorry I do things that make you feel that way."

"Damn right you are."

She giggled.

"Are you ready?"

"No."

"Good. Just remember Zero…no matter what…I love you."

She pulled away…and began to sing.

* * *

Something rang in Naminé's mind. She sent a look to Kairi who nodded solemnly. The redhead flickered over to behind Alicia and pinched the back of the blonde's neck. Alicia dropped into Kairi's arms as the redhead backed away from the closing gateway. The ships engines kicked in and flared to life, the vessel lifting off the ground and beginning its escape from the end of all worlds.

* * *

(BGM: Ar Tonelico – EXEC RIG VEDA)

_**Iwake naki ko ya hikari ga gotoshi...**_

Zero stepped away from the glowing girl, struggling against his burning eyes.

_**sasage ya sasage ya koto no magatama ya  
iyase ya iyase ya kashiri towa ni ma ni**_

A glowing glyph of Destruction appeared beneath Miranda's feet as she continued her singing. The glyph of Creation appeared beneath Zero, as he prepared the second half of Miranda's plan.

_**sasage ya sasage ya koto no magatama ya  
iyase ya iyase ya kashiri towa ni ma ni**_

The two glowing bodies seemed to flare at the same time. Dark and Light energy began gathering between the two, creating pure Chaos.

_**iwake naki ko wa shinani tsumi nashi  
uchi no kagiri wa takusareshi wasan**_

Chaos energy began radiating between the two, the pocket realm that the final battle took place in beginning to fragment and shake.

_**kakotsu wa sadame sumau sube nashi  
kodoku ni nenji kaku ayumu michi**_

Multicolored rays of light began radiating from the glowing sphere that had engulfed the two. Strands of energy began lancing off the sphere, flying into an array of black and white suddenly opening and closing portals. Streams of energy floated along the dark and light corridors between worlds, traveling into the skies of the worlds connected to the Original.

People gazed into the air with fear, wonder, and unknowing, as their skies became lit with a myriad of color. None of them understood, but deep in their hearts they felt her words, her song.

* * *

Alicia woke up to the ship shaking furiously. Immediately she realized what was wrong.

"ZERO!"

"She woke up sooner than I thought."

Alicia looked out the window to see a wall of light behind the ship, slowly gaining.

"What's going on?! What happened?!"

"We don't know! Kairi said she heard something strange and had Naminé take off!"

"It was Zero's wish, that we'd be safe."

"I don't know how safe we'll be if that damn wall hits us! Punch it Nami!"

"I'm trying Rox! This thing's reached its limit! I can't push it any faster!"

"It's gaining on us!"

The wall of white overtook the ship.

"Oh…CRAP!"

And then everything seemed to stop.

"What-

Riku was silenced by the form of a girl appearing next to Alicia, who gave a cry of shock. The girl smiled at them all and began to chant.

"_**sasage ya sasage ya koto no magatama ya  
iyase ya iyase ya kashiri towa ni ma ni"**_

Everyone's eyes widened as time seemed to resume once the girl vanished, her chanting still floating in the air. The ship suddenly burst out of the wall of white, traveling at speeds that not a single passenger had ever expected.

* * *

_**sasage ya sasage ya koto no magatama ya  
iyase ya iyase ya kashiri towa ni ma ni**_

All over the universe, everyone heard her voice, her words. People began chanting along with her, not understanding the power they were unleashing. The bonds between worlds strengthened as the Original slowly was overcome by the power of Chaos.

_**sasage ya sasage ya koto no magatama ya**_

_**saranu yaku tote warabe no mae ni**_

_**iyase ya iyase ya kashiri towa ni ma ni**_

Rainbow colored lights seemed to flare to life in the ether between worlds.

_**sasage ya sasage ya koto no magatama ya**_

_**kiru ga gotoku ni inga wo tokare**_

_**iyase ya iyase ya kashiri towa ni ma ni**_

The location of the Original flared with Silver light. A ring of energy pulsing off it as the internal combustion of its inner dimensions collapsed. A small red ship shot from the center of the combustion, just ahead of the massive explosion of light.

_**sasage ya sasage ya koto no magatama ya**_

_**makoto no hikari wa ga mi wo terashi**_

_**iyase ya iyase ya kashiri towa ni ma ni**_

The universe's people…even some of the Gods themselves followed along with the chanting as Miranda spoke the final words of the song. Skies were alight with the rainbow flares of the dying Original. The ties between worlds radiating with their people's wishes. All over the Universe, Genma began falling apart as their core source died.

As the ship flew away from the dying world, its passengers looked back in sadness as the world seemed to give one last flare of light.

_**sasage ya sasage ya koto no magatama ya**_

_**hanatsu utagoe ama tarashitari**_

_**iyase ya iyase ya kashiri towa ni ma ni!**_

Suddenly, something in Kairi's, Naminé's and Alicia's mind snapped.

Their connection to Zero was gone.

And then…the universe became lit with one last sound…

A scream.

A dying scream that brought pain to all that heard it.

A dying scream that brought joy to all that heard it.

A dying scream…

Of the True Goddess…

* * *

Originally I'd planned a fight before this. Fay vs. Zero, it was going to be epic.

Of course the usual writer's block completely stomped on that idea.

This chapter's been written for a few months now…I put some finishing touches on it today.

One last chapter to go. The Aftermath of Her song.

RCRS (Aka Chasingfireflies): yeah…it was supposed to be rather depressing. There was a lot more to the original plan than what was there, but like I said, it'd have to be an Anime or something for me to work all that.

Here's the final battle. Completed two months ago but never posted cause I wanted to have something before it. Ehh, fuck it. I need to end this story so I can focus on others.

But trust me on this…the LAST chapter…is gonna be cool as all hell.

D&S Master: I am a right bastard aren't I? Well, the shit hit the fan, but unknown to the shit, the fan had a built in spray bottle. As I said above, I had a whole chapter planned out before this, with shittons of ideas for it floating around in my head…but it didn't want to come out so…there's a timejump between last chapter and the events of this one. Maybe one day I'll finally be able to write that bit I wanted to, and update with it.

One more to go…


	21. Final Chapter: Ascension

(BGM: Persona 4 – Who's There?)

_**Kairi…**_

The redhead blinked. This was the twelfth time today she heard the strange voice…

It had been six months (Radiant Garden time) since the destruction of the First World's remains, and the sundering of the bond between her and the enigmatic Zero.

_I hope Alicia's ok…we haven't had the time to go see her…_

While Zero's plan to draw out the Rampant Goddess worked, the destruction left behind was a bit greater than they'd expected. His strange summons, both the "ADR" creatures and the "Mugan" as Fay called them did a great deal of combat against the Genma. But still…there were casualties, and a fair bit of property damage. Nothing that couldn't be rebuilt, but the loss of life was a tad more than they'd wished.

For the past week, Kairi would hear a strange female voice call her name on occasion. She couldn't place it, and it always showed up at inopportune moments.

_**Kairi…**_

Like now. The sudden appearance of the voice caused her to make a misstep and she walked through a wall.

_Wait…through?!_

The girl looked at her surroundings…she was on one of the strange platforms of stained glass. She examined this one, and it had an image of a nude black haired fair skinned girl knelt in prayer. Her hair covered anything important, but behind her was the symbol of Chaos.

"Who is-

_**Kairi…you finally came.**_

"What?"

A glowing flame appeared before her. Its violet radiance nearly blinding the redhead.

_**You have wasted too much time Kairi…**_

"Wasted time? What are you talking about?!"

_**He's waiting for you…all of you…**_

"Who…!"

She felt it. A strange feeling in her chest. _This…this is…!_

_**You feel it don't you? The light of His soul…**_

"He's…alive?"

_**He never died. I can say no more…for it is His story to tell…gather the ones his light touched.**_

"Everyone?"

_**Every single one. It is imperative that not one is left behind.**_

"But…the town-

_**This…is far greater than the needs of a single world. This effects the Fate of ALL worlds.**_

"…alright. I'll go."

_**Good…hurry Kairi…your chance to see him is running out…**_

**The Thirteenth Order**

**Ascension**

(BGM: Okami – Giving Kushinada a Ride)

With a loud BOOM, the engines of the newly remade Shiki, fired up as the ship launched itself from the Radiant Garden.

_Hang on…we're coming…_

**

* * *

**

**Wonderland…**

"Ahh…this is the life Fred…"

"Tell me about it. No rampant Queens…no Genma…a Dee could get used to this."

Suddenly there was a loud boom. The bikini clad Queen Alice leapt from her position on the beach of the Lake of Rage as they called it.

"What the bloody hell was that?"

"Language Alice."

"HEY! ALICE!"

She looked up and saw a GIGANTIC black gummy ship hovering overhead.

"Holy Shit…"

"Now who's swearin' Fred?"

"GET ON!"

"Sure…HOW?!"

A beam of light was her answer as she felt her body become lighter than air. Her molecules were shuffled around as the Transporter did its duty.

Minutes later, the Shiki took off with another loud BOOM.

* * *

**Spira…**

A loud noise surprised the villagers of Besaid. Many of them stepped out of their homes to find out what the source was, only to gasp as a giant black ship appeared in their view.

"Holy crap!" Tidus squinted at the vessel, whistling in amazement. As Yuna, Rikku and Paine all gathered next to him, a wave of light washed over them and they were transported to the Shiki.

"WAKKA! KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS HERE FOR THEM WILL YOU!? WE GOTTA GET GOING!"

Before the baby carrying ex-guardian could answer, the ship blasted off again.

"Well geez ya? Could give a brudda a warnin before ya just up and leave like that ya?"

* * *

**Devil Never Cry Office Building…**

Kyrie, Lady and Trish were all gabbing away about stuff that girls do. Dante and Nero were having an arm wrestle while Vergil sat on a nearby recliner, absorbed in an interesting book.

Trish, being originally a Demon given the form of the Sparda Twins' mother, snapped her head to the side a full half minute before the telltale booming sound of Dimensional Barriers being temporarily broken, shook the building.

Immediately, Dante and Lady became enveloped in a swirl of emerald green particles before vanishing in front of the other's eyes. Trish jumped to her feet, gently pulling Kyrie with her. Vergil stood, Yamato in hand while Nero looked on puzzlingly. Without saying a word, Vergil had placed his hand on Nero's shoulder.

"What are-

Nero was cut off by a sense of vertigo as his world turned black. A few moments of the unusual sensation and his eyes opened to see the inside of a strange ship, in the middle of a room filled with people.

Vergil spoke quickly. "Many apologies…but I surmise you are going to see the one who fought the incarnation of Fate…we, would like to accompany you."

Riku blinked. "Uhh…sure?" He gave an uncertain look to Kairi. She simply nodded.

"Punch it Nami, we've still got to pick up the Princess."

* * *

**Valhalla…**

It was strange. Not long after the Original was finally put to rest, Alicia's body became a pillar of light. When the pillar receded, two were standing where once there was one. The True Valkyrie was now freed from within Alicia's body. Alicia herself, while saddened at the loss of Valkyrie's presence in her mind, was strengthened with resolve to become far stronger under her own strength.

Unknown to anyone, time had become unified for all worlds under the Rule of the Universal Being. The six months that passed for Kairi and the others, had passed for everyone.

Alicia however, was no older than she was when she was returned to the Universe, for though her origin was Midgard, her Reincarnation was due to the use of the Seal of Creation, which placed her within a body outside of the flow of time. As such, she did not age as long as she called no world her true home…and with the erasing of not only her once growing love Rufus, but also the assumed death of her love Zero, she called no world her home, though her place of residence was the Realm of the Gods within Valhalla.

The time of Ragnarok was still far off from now, and the realm of Midgard was for once, in a collective state of Peace. As such, Alicia had taken up the time to train with her Valkyrie Sisters, her learned skills from Zero slowly granting her victories as she grew used to the fighting styles of the Sisters. The only one that could match her was Valkyrie herself, who was 'born' from her body's template, aged and formed as a Perfect Being, inheriting all of Alicia's Knowledge and Skills.

But even then the former Princess was beginning to gain ground.

The Einherjar feared Alicia, calling her the Dark Valkyrie, a title once held by Hrist. As it was, due to her continued exposure to the power of Destruction radiating off of Zero, along with the constant subconscious reminders of how alone she was in this universe, her personality had taken a bit of a downturn. While not horridly quick to anger, some had to learn to mind their words around her, lest they find themselves challenged to a duel, and summarily beaten to a pulp. Yes, the honor instilled within her not only as a princess, but by being reincarnated through the love and memory of Zero himself, did not allow her to simply strike out at someone who had angered her. No she beat them down in an honorable match, further increasing her reputation as a True Warrior.

It was one of the many days where she simply sat to the side of Odin, silently contemplating the events of her second life, a morose look on her face, did she hear a voice.

_**It is time…dear princess…**_

"What?"

She looked around confused. The four Valkyrie looked at their pseudo-sibling in worry.

"Alicia? What's wrong?"

"I…heard a voice…"

It was then that the doors to the great Hall slammed open and the sound of rushing feet rang through.

"ALICIA!"

The black-streaked-blonde stood immediately.

"Kairi?"

"Alicia come on, we have to go!"

The not-princess sputtered confused.

"W-what are you talking about?"

"He's alive! We have to go NOW!"

It didn't take much thought to understand what the redhead was getting at. She jumped from her position, appearing in a flicker of motion next to Kairi. Seconds after, the three sisters and true Valkyrie ran up behind her, Freya trailing them.

"We are coming as well."

Freya began to protest but was silenced by Odin. "This world needs not their services at the moment. I am in mental contact with you Freya, so I ask you accompany them."

"As you wish…Lord Odin."

* * *

**Unknown Space…**

"Alright Kairi, where now?"

"…I…I don't know. The voice only said to gather everyone…it didn't say anything else…DAMMIT! Of all the times…"

Alicia's eyes narrowed…when suddenly the entire room grew dark.

(BGM: Chrono Cross – Tower of Stars)

They all heard it…the sound of bells tolling. The gonging rings of giant bells swinging back and forth. Darkness covered their surroundings, as if they were standing in a dimly lit corridor.

A girl appeared. She looked to be no older than eight. Clad in a red sweater and a dark murky brown skirt, the barefoot black haired girl strode forward from her position in front of the surprised Leon. Suddenly, like a bad television image, her form flickered and blurred, until a taller, older, completely naked girl stood before them. She continued the slow, almost torturous pace the young child began…before flickering as well, turning back into the child.

For a few moments, with each few steps, the presence would flicker between forms…before stopping on the child. The child lifted her head, and though her hair covered her eyes, she offered a brilliant smile to Kairi, before turning around and flickering again.

The new form seemed to be in between the two. She still looked young, younger than the much older, almost adult form, but still nude. Her hair reached the floor, framing her face, and hiding her intimate areas. She gave a soft smile and spread open her arms, appearing to take a deep breath as she did so.

Moments later, six glowing orbs of light shot from her chest and spiraled around her. After three revolutions the ring of color stopped, and the large group could see her figure illuminated by the multiple colors. The orbs hovered around her, one in red, one in blue, one in yellow, one in green, one in black and one in white. She raised her right arm gently and the six orbs began slowly revolving around her again. She turned, flinging her arm to just behind her, pointing at the space beyond the cockpit. The orbs immediately rocketed away from her, flying through the glass as if it weren't even there, slamming into an invisible wall and stopping. Faint lines of energy connected the orbs, forming a six pointed star, before they began to rotate, forming a massive glowing multicolored gateway.

The room returned to its normal light, and as it did so, the girl turned to Alicia. As her form faded her mouth moved, but no words came.

None…that any save for Alicia could hear.

"_**Take care of him for me…"**_

* * *

After a harrowing experience where for a while, they feared their ship was going to be attacked, they found themselves confronted with a small group of teenagers…two boys, and two girls.

(BGM: Chrono Cross – Optimism)

The first girl was clad in a simple light orange t-shirt that clashed horribly with her bright pink hair, which was arranged in a ponytail. A pair of black jeans and a pair of sandals adorning her feet completed her outfit. Brilliant blue eyes appraised the group, as unbeknownst to them, she wondered why her and her friends were sent to escort and if needed defend these people, especially considering most of them had visible weapons.

The second girl had long violet hair, also in a ponytail, only hers had much smaller bangs framing her face than the first. She wore a light blue tank-top and a pair of arm-bands of a light gold color. She had very faint violet eyes that quickly roamed over the group, assessing their skills. Her left hand nervously fingered her skirt however, showing that like her accomplices, she was uncertain about the task afforded to them.

Then came the boys. One was blue haired, spiked upward, wearing a dark blue long-T with dark blue jeans. A pair of nunchaku were attached to his belt, a basketball tucked under his left arm.

The other was the epitome of dark. Black everything from a black long-coat, to black boots and black pants, black shirt, black, black, black. His hair was black, hell some of the group guessed even his eyes were black, which they couldn't tell considering he was wearing, you guessed it, black sunglasses. Unknown to them, he had what some girls called the most beautiful green eyes they'd ever seen.

"So…these are the guys?"

"Sure is a lot of them."

"She wished it done, and that wish is in Sensei's favor."

"Still…they don't look like they need protecting. Escorting maybe but protecting?"

"That one dude has an epic looking sword."

"…his sword, though 'epic' as you put it, doesn't have that which the other one does. THAT one looks like it's got a damn motor in it. I would think that would out epic the other."

"Wait what? Where?!"

The pink haired girl shook her head. "Ugh…boys…"

"As fun as it is to watch you two banter, we do have guests. And we also have a job to complete."

The two responded in unison. "Sorry princess."

The violet haired girl rolled her eyes at the response and gave a small bow towards the group.

"My apologies. I am Princess Schala Zeal, elemental of Time and Heir to the Throne of the kingdom of Zeal."

The pink haired girl gave a small bow as well. "My name is Claris Sinclair, elemental of Light and…well…"

"Best friggin singer in all of Twin Seeds!"

"Shut up Elliot I am NOT!"

"Sorry…but I would have to agree with the loudmouth. I've heard you out-sing even some of the local pop-stars."

The pink haired girl simply flushed and 'hmph'ed. The blue haired teen that seemed to embarrass her spoke next.

"Elliot Edwards, dual wind/water user and best damn B-ball player in the city."

"…until Sensei gets tired of loosing and Shunpo's out a victory."

"Yeah well that's cause he cheats!"

Schala shook her head. "It's not cheating. If you were using it he wouldn't call it cheating. It's not his fault you haven't mastered it."

"Also note I said 'shunpo' and not 'Shukuchi.' If he were using Shukuchi you wouldn't stand a chance."

"FINE! Fine outside of speed boosts."

"That is acceptable."

"Fine, go and introduce yourself o king of Emo!"

"Might I remind you I am NOT Uchiha Sasuke."

"…shut up."

"I am Koji Miyamoto. I am of the element of Darkness."

"And he also has intense eyes."

"…I am not even going to bother."

Schala spoke up again. "We're Sensei's best students. Someone…I think her name was Fay, asked us to meet, escort and protect you on the way to him."

"Still don't know it's them Kidd."

"_How many times have I told you not to call me that?!_ Besides…she said, and I quote: 'The group will have a Dog-man, a duck-man, a couple mouse people, a dude in a red coat with white hair and a big sword, a blonde who frequently wears so little she may as walk around naked, and a Waddle Dee.' And since I see all of the above, Dee included, it's obvious they're the ones we're looking for."

Alicia spoke. "Where are we?"

"Twin Seeds' Airport. We've been charged with taking you to the Castle of Eternal Dreams to see Sensei. Since the only gateway directly to the island the castle is on is through the Tower, we can show you a bit of the city on the way…"

* * *

The group found themselves in a strange void.

"…ok why are we here? We shouldn't be here unless…"

Suddenly, a group of Heartless, accompanied by strange creatures with pink cords coming out of them appeared.

"Ok, the shadow demons I can understand…but why are ADR's attacking us?!"

"Perhaps Sensei lost control of them?"

"No…they have his seal on them. Shit, don't tell me he's testing us now of all times?!"

"What better time is there? Even the strange girl-woman said we were to protect this group from harm, perhaps she planned this."

A glowing light appeared in Claris' hands. The light formed into a small sword and a shield.

"It doesn't matter, we've got a job to do, and a rep to keep up! We'll kick their asses and cut through!"

"Damn right baby!" Elliot got into a fighting stance.

(BGM: Tales of Vesperia – Fury Sparks (BEST GODDAMN BATTLE THEME IN THE GAME!))

A sickly black glow appeared in Kouji's hands and a demonic looking scythe materialized. In Schala's hands formed a glowing violet spear. She turned to the group.

"I've no doubt you can defend yourselves, hell together you'd probably wipe these things out before we can…but our job is to keep you all from harm. Why we were tasked with that I can't say, but dammit we'll do it."

A sudden yell stopped her from continuing.

"**CURLEH MUSTASH!"**

**BOOM**

A heavy impact sounded through as Elliot slammed a wind charged fist into the gut of a Knight.

Kouji paused. "Did he just say…"

Schala sighed. "Yes…yes he did."

"We have GOT to stop Sensei from teaching him any more absurd battle cries."

Another yell, this time of **"WHERE YO CURLEH MUSTASH AT?!"** caused them to sigh again before Claris back-flipped out of the way of a Pendulum Feet's whirling blades.

"Damn, I know I'm hot but you don't need to let your head spin…**Raijinken!"**

The pink haired girl lunged forward with a stabbing thrust, electricity covering her blade. She followed it up by twirling on her left heel and lunging again for a **Fuuraijinken**, a stab that channeled not just electricity, but wind energy into the strike as well. The ghost looking ADR flinched as the volts rushed through its body, only to fall prey to a **Senkuushoureppa **where the girl spiraled into the air with her blade extended, repeatedly slicing into the target before landing with a falling thrust, reducing the ADR to pink liquid that quickly vanished.

Kouji was making very large sweeping motions with his scythe, waves of dark energy accompanying each swing. Hoards of Heartless and ADRs fell with each movement, each calculated maneuver, executed to perfection. As a group attempted to attack him from behind, he faded into shadow and appeared next to Alice.

"Come forth o avaricious netherworld and crush the evil before me!" Energy swirled around his body.

"**NEGATIVE GATE!"**

A massive orb of dark power erupted into being. The orb seemed to suck in everything in its radius before collapsing upon itself…and then detonating in an impressive blast of dark energy.

* * *

Sora whistled. "Damn, look at those guys go!"

Kairi nodded. "Amazing…do you think they were trained by him?"

Alicia piped up. "Definitely…they have his movements…his style…and his penchant for bad puns."

* * *

"…Oh that is IT! YOU RUINED MY FAVORITE TOP YOU LITTLE SHITBAGS!"

"Uh oh…the princess is Royally Pissed now!"

"…Elliot…what is it with you and bad puns?"

Schala began glowing violently as her body raised up into the air.

"Damn…is it time for those already? Alright then…"

Claris' body suddenly shined a brilliant white.

"**KAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"**

She raised her sword to the heavens, three silvery strands of energy spiraling down from the sky to engulf her blade in a radiant brilliance of power.

"**KOURYUU…"**

She pulled her sword arm back, the world pausing for a moment as a faint image of her smiling face appeared in everyone's minds.

"**METSUGASHOU!"** Thrusting her arm forward, she launched the light forward, the energy taking the form of three spiraling dragon-headed energy streams that engulfed the massive group of Heartless and ADR's before her.

* * *

"HOLY SHIT!"

Alicia smirked at Dante. "Quite literally, at least the holy part. There was Light energy permeating every inch of that move."

* * *

Kouji appeared in the center of another group.

"Come to me…"

Dark energy swirled around his body.

"…I summon…"

He raised his fist where a massive orb of darkness had formed.

"**ETERNAL PENANCE!"**

He slammed his fist into the ground, from which a massive glyph of Destruction formed, before a pillar of black erupted, engulfing and destroying everything it touched.

* * *

Vergil nodded. "Simple…yet very effective."

Rikku squealed. "Ooooh…he's sexy."

Many people just looked at her and blinked.

* * *

Elliot flipped over the swing of a knight, deftly evading its claws, and positioning himself in the center of a large group of monsters. The blue haired teen smirked as he waved his hands towards the ground.

"Hope you don't mind a little cold…"

His body flared an icy blue before what looked like ripples of water wafted from his feet. The blue rings stopped just outside the group of moving monstrosities, a small rumbling engulfing the area.

"**CRYSTAL GLACIER!"**

He rose his arms over his head then brought them down. Milliseconds after the motion was completed, a series of massive lances of ice shot from the ground, tearing into the creatures and reducing them to nothing in seconds…

* * *

"Almost like Million Carats! That kid has style!"

Trish commented. "And he didn't even use a devils arm…interesting…"

* * *

Finally, it was Schala's turn. The entire time she was building energy. The world they were in seemed to distort.

"It all starts…and it all ends with this…"

The area changed to show a spiraling wall of stars.

"This…is how the world began…and this…is its end…"

A glowing light began shining in the center of the spiral.

"_**Collapse…"**_

The light grew blinding as strands of energy shot from its center, the collective becoming horridly unstable.

"**Big Bang…"**

In a massive wave of light, the simulated universe exploded, the force shredding every single remaining monster.

* * *

"…fuck…me!"

"Can…can that really happen? DID that happen?"

"She claimed to be mistress of Time…the universe's memory of how it began…condensed into an attack…what a frightening opponent…"

* * *

The world returned to its original appearance.

"Everyone alright?" Claris asked. She was holding a panting Schala. Kairi stepped forward and was about to speak for the group when suddenly her head pulsed.

"Ugh…"

(BGM: Persona 4 – Borderline of Madness)

There was a shattering noise as a black clad figure shot from a hole created in the worlds.

"Whoa! That's not normal!"

The figure slammed into the 'ground' and skidded close to the group, groaning.

The pounding in Kairi's head grew stronger. _This is…it has to be…_

The figure slowly got to its knees. It was then that the group slowly began to realize just who was in front of them.

"Ze…ro?"

Suddenly, in a blur of motion, another being appeared. This one holding a wicked looking double ended spear, with an almost insane look on his face. Blinding yellow hair reflected the dim light of the area as his grey cloak fluttered from the movement.

"ZERO!"

The young warrior simply looked up at his attacker…and sighed. And with a loud squelching noise…the spear was sticking out of his back…coated in his life.

* * *

_I'm not going to win._

_I can't win. For once…victory cannot be grasped._

_It is impossible._

_I have denied it. I have ascended above it…but I am still mortal._

_I can weaken him. Hell I probably COULD beat him…if I wasn't stuck in this mortal body._

_The final test. The last thing I have to do…and I failed. I failed because I face an opponent that as I am, cannot be beaten, even boosted by this world's strange mechanics, even strengthened by the place I always believed was my true home._

_The difference is simple. He is immortal…and I am not. All it takes is a brief moment and then he's recovered…while with me…as deep as my reserves go…they have reached their end._

_This is an impossible battle. His classification as "Divinity" allows him access to abilities that either would have a time limit for me, or would cost me far more than him. As Divinity he can simply pause for a second, and the world, no matter what, would respond to his will and refresh him. The longer the pause, the more is returned…_

_I understand now…I am not meant to win this battle…Zero Shinzaki cannot win the fight against Mortality…_

_I'm sorry Alicia…everyone…I wanted to see you all again…to show you my students…my home…_

_But now…maybe…I'll be with Miranda…finally…_

* * *

His body burst into particles. Horrified looks on the faces of all present.

"Sen…sei?"

Schala was frozen in terror…before that terror gave way to anger. Within seconds her energy had flared around her, the Deity of Time shuddering as she drew forth more and more Temporal energy to her body.

"_You son of a bitch."_

It was then…that it happened.

For so long…her darkness had been filtered between points. Negative feelings would barely be registered by her mind, those emotions energies transferred to her Nobody, and her Love respectively. And then she met him. And slowly but surely, the flow of darkness began to stream towards him as well. But then he unleashed it all in Wonderland…and being so close to the darkness…calling the name of her inner Nobody, summoning her power to access the darkest part of the universe to save herself, and her friends…it changed her.

She never realized it. None of them did. Her inner darkness now given form as Naminé, the Nobody born both of her and Sora…that pathway had closed. After Roxas had returned, the pathway to Sora had closed as well. After that, she had been left with one. It halted when she thought him dead after the battle against Fate…started when she learned of his survival…

But now…it had completely stopped.

Everything came back to her…her mind flashing through the memories of everything that went wrong…

_All of it…because of them. The so called "Deities" of this universe. Vastly powerful immortal beings governing the essences of existence. They took her home…her family…her friends…and now…they took him._

The pounding in her head finally stopped…

Everyone drew their weapons, ready to avenge their fallen ally.

All she did was blink…

And everything changed.

* * *

(BGM: Persona 4 – I'll Face Myself –battle-)

Everyone looked around confused.

"Alright where the HELL is this music coming from?!"

And then they felt it. A massive wave of dark energy ripping from Kairi's body.

They saw the redhead slowly lift her head…and in a split second the once smiling God of Mortality was engulfed in a black flame, a roar of agony ripping from his throat.

Their momentary distraction made by the burning Deity allowed the transformation to take place. When they turned back to her…Kairi was now engulfed in wisps of black smoke. Her hair had turned black as night, her outfit now transformed into an open black cloak revealing her body for all to see…if not for a pair of black undergarments that left very little to the imagination. Her skin seemed to pale considerably, her body giving an unearthly black glow.

And then…something strange happened. She strolled forward, hair covering her eyes. She seemed to stretch before speaking…but that was when the unusual stuff started.

A 'window' appeared…and in it, text as she spoke, an image of her face inside a small blue circle.

"_**I am…a Shadow…the True Self. You…who have stolen my love…face the power of Destruction."**_

Alicia blinked. "Wait…LOVE?!"

But she would get no answer. A wall of black seemed to appear in front of their eyes as the black mist seemed to grow stronger.

**Omnipotence**

She seemed to stretch, and a wall of multicolored light surrounded her for a few moments. Another "window" appeared, this time saying the following:

**All stats WAY up!**

**Elemental resistance greatly increased!**

**Status Effect resistance greatly increased!**

**Critical hit rate WAY up!**

**Gained MP Regen Effect!**

**Gained HP Regen Effect!**

**Gained Auto Life Effect!**

"FFFFFUUUKKIN WOOOORD!"

Everyone turned to Elliot, who looked like he was about to crap himself in excitement.

"She just Fuckin GOD HAX'D! Did you SEE that?! Shit I wish I could see the stats!"

Almost as if answering his request, another box appeared.

**Anti-Kairi:**

**HP: 9999**

**MP: 9999**

**ATK:?**

**DEF:?**

**MAG:?**

**SPD:?**

**LUK:?**

**Fire: Null**

**Water: Null**

**Ice: Null**

**Earth: Null**

**Wind: Null**

**Lightning: Null**

**Nature: Null**

**Dark: Absorb**

**Light: Absorb**

"SWEEEEEEEET!"

* * *

**Amaterasu**

The dark version of Kairi blinked at the now recovered Deity, who quickly jumped out of the way as a pillar of black flame shot from the ground where he stood.

_Impossible…this mortal…this GIRL has tapped the powers of the Gods! How…how can this BE?!_

He ran at her, vanishing from view.

"_**Pathetic…"**_

She pivoted on her heel and everyone heard a loud BOOM as he literally ran into her foot.

_H-how?!_

**Demon's Lance**

She flipped backward, a raspy sounding breath emerging from her throat as a massive spear of dark energy shot from the sky and slammed into the Deity.

**Violent Pain**

She gestured and six curving walls of darkness emerged from the small puddle of black beneath Mortality's feet from the Lance slammed into him.

**Thunder Blade**

A massive sword of electricity crashed into the ground. A loud whirring noise like the sound of a powerful generator being activated rang through the area as a dome of energy seemed to be sucked into the impact point…before exploding in a wave of violet lightning.

Another window appeared.

"_**You call yourself Divinity…how…how is it a worthless creature like you could defeat my love?"**_

He slowly got up.

"_**Ahh…I see now…it isn't you who defeated him…simply your status. Very well. I understand what must be done."**_

The window vanished. Black and red mist began surrounding her body.

**Ultimate Technique:**

A black keyblade appeared in her hand.

* * *

"Wait that's the thing Ansem's heartless used against me when he took over Riku's body!"

She vanished from view. Suddenly, Mortality lurched forward, impaled on Kairi's keyblade. She finally lifted her head for all to see. Glowing red eyes with three strange looking comma marks stared back.

**Kaleidoscope: Copy Wheel Eye**

She ripped the keyblade to the side, creating a wicked gash in the God's chest before spinning on her heel and swinging downward, the keyblade suddenly awash in black flame. Mortality stumbled backwards.

She flickered again, appearing in his face with her right leg pulled back. She slammed it into the side of his face, knocking him over and forcing his body off the ground from the strength of the blow. Before he could finish falling though, she quickly followed up with a twirl followed by a second lash from her right leg, knocking him upward slightly, where she hopped off her left foot and spun, slashing three times into his body before landing behind him. Immediately upon touching the ground she whirled right around and launched a crescent shaped wave of energy at Mortality's falling form. Flung away by the attack, Mortality was stunned at how much power this girl, who's natural state was nowhere NEAR the power of the one he'd just slain, was putting out.

**Kitetsu**

Kairi banished the keyblade. She flung her right hand to the side and seemed to grip something. A second later, in a wave of darkness, a gleaming katana appeared. She flipped it around her wrist a few times before letting it lift into the air slightly, where she crossed her hands by the hilt…and split the sword into itself…and a glowing red phantom version of it.

Immediately she began her assault.

She slashed downward with her left blade, followed by a diagonal-down right to left slash with the right blade, which was echoed by a diagonal-down left to right, creating a glowing K in the air for a brief moment.

**K**

She then rose both blades over he head and crossed them, slashing down along both sides of Mortality, before bringing them together and doing a spin slash horizontally.

**A**

She followed that with a horizontal slash with the right blade, a straight vertical slash with the left, and another with the right.

**I**

A vertical slash with the left, followed by a stab with the right. From the stab, she seemed to carve a half circle in Mortality before slashing out diagonally and down to the right.

**R**

She ended the combo by slashing to the left with her left blade and to the right with her right, before bringing them together and swinging them both down.

**I **

* * *

"Can someone tell me why she just carved her name into that guy?"

Elliot practically growled at Cloud. "SHHHHH! She's not done yet!"

* * *

The letters seemed to hover in the air for a moment, before splitting up and forming a five pointed star.

**K.A.I.R.I. Murderous Princess**

She jammed her blade into the center of the star, causing it to collapse as the five letters of her name spiraled into the point of the blade, before releasing a massive beam of black and red energy.

The black and red light grew blinding and covered the sight of everyone around…

Mortality slowly got to his feet. The grey haired man stumbled for a moment, completely overwhelmed by the assault of Kairi's Inner Darkness.

_Impossible…simply impossible! How?! How is it these mortals can force us to the point of no return? How is it that they can cause such damage to our divine forms that we must actually FOCUS to regenerate it?_

…_it must be his influence. I knew his presence had been in this universe for far too long! Mortals should not have this kind of power! To reduce me to such a state…inconceivable! I have rid this world of his taint…and now I shall do the same upon these fools!_

"_**I know what you're thinking."**_

Everyone looked at Anti-Kairi.

"_**You think that you can stand against us. You think that your classification as 'divine' makes you somehow special. Well, you are wrong. There is one being who is truly worthy of the title special. And you are NOT it."**_

"Silence yourself Mortal!"

"_**Mortal? You fool. I am one of Seven Keys of this Sector."**_

"Wh-what?! Impossible! You can't-

"_**Poor misguided fool. And you claim to be lord of Mortality…how pathetic. You cannot defeat me, for I am far more important than you. There can always be another Lord of Mortality…but there can only be one incarnation of a Key."**_

"The Seven Divine Maidens…chosen by the Great Mother herself…to wield her power…"

"_**Pity how it is not my destiny to destroy you here…I would much gratefully enjoy ripping you limb from limb…"**_

"Wait…Explain yourself!"

"_**There is no need…the answer is just about…here."**_

* * *

(BGM: Wild Arms Advanced 3rd – The beginning of the End)

A brilliant light shone from between Kairi and Mortality. The sphere seemed to grow for a few moments, before suddenly vanishing. Seconds after the sudden disappearance of the glowing light, smaller particles of light seemed to shoot towards its source, gathering together, and slowly grafting themselves onto a singular point.

The multicolored glow took the form of a human…

"_**I bid thee welcome…O Lord of Dreams."**_

"WHAT?!"

The glow solidified.

"ZERO?!"

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

Silent as a ghost…the form of Zero Shinzaki stood.

"No…you cannot be the Lord of Dreams…I will not permit it!"

Mortality glared heavily at the revived form of his once hated subject, charging at near blinding speeds…directly into a wall of **Earth** that seemed to appear from nowhere.

"What?!"

Particles of light were still grafting themselves to Zero…his return not yet complete. Mortality charged again, this time taking to the air...only to be slammed to the side by a massive vine that seemed to grow from a small green distortion next to the still forming Zero.

"How?! There was no incantation, no movement!"

He launched his spear, watching as a dome of **Light** suddenly blocked it, gazing in shock as a literal hand of **Water** grasped it, and a wall of **Wind **smash into it, sending it rocketing through Mortality's chest, forcing him to cough up a small puddle of blood…which then seemed to ripple as small lances of blood red **Ice** raced from the small splatters and jammed themselves into his form.

"_**Interesting…This world itself is responding to his will…it strikes out against you to protect its Lord…who hasn't even finished being 'born'…"**_

"The…lord…of Dreams…How?"

"_**He has always considered this world his home…preferring the land of sleep to the realm of the living…tell me…how long has it been since this world had a Lord?"**_

"Over…five…no…"

_**"Yes…lady Yume, the original Lady of Dreams left, and returned to the Cycle of Souls to be reborn as a Mortal, as was dictated by the Great Mother herself. She left five hundred years ago…in anticipation for his appointment as Lord of Dreams. Your foolish actions…your stupid adherence to a rule that doesn't even EXIST, caused untold damage to the Universe, and to this, one of the Three Core Worlds!"**_

"See?! I TOLD you He made me do it! It was all His idea!"

Everyone, save for the still forming Zero, turned to the new arrival. Six females were at the edge of the group, watching the events.

"Alright Clo, we get it. We're sorry we didn't believe you. But you still-

"I KNOW what I did alright? I also know I tried to fix it. And now, things are finally going the way they should have been."

"_**Well…if it isn't Lady Death, Lady Destruction, Lady Creation…and the three Sisters of Fate…"**_

Death was confused by the speaker. She blinked and then whirled her head to Destruction, her white hair almost slapping Lachesis in the face. "You never told me Kairi was an Enlightened."

"I…never knew…I knew she was a Key but and Enlightened as well?"

"_**Kairi…is not. I…am her inner darkness…echoing the will of the Great Mother…Formed of Her knowledge…and His as well…"**_

It was at this point, a wave of light washed over the group.

"_**It is time…"**_

Zero was finally complete. Streams of energy seemed to waft off of his reformed body. Seven glowing orbs of light materialized around him.

"WAIT SEVEN?!"

The group looked at Claris. "But…but…SEVEN?! I thought there were only FIVE!"

Schala was equally shocked. "I thought there were six…"

Creation giggled. "It's always been seven…it's just that most people only exhibit the true qualities of the first five. Some, manage six…but someone with all seven hasn't been seen in half a millennium…"

Sora spoke up. "'scuse me but…a little explanation here?"

"_**Those seven orbs represent the Virtues of all Sentient beings…in their purest form. The Yellow orb represents Hope. The Red represents Courage, the power to take one's fears and face them with a calm mind, and a burning resolve. The Green one represents Wisdom, the ability to predict, to analyze and to perceive. Blue is Intelligence, the knowledge of events, the skills to utilize said knowledge, and the ability to act multiple tasks at once. Black is Desire…true desire in its rarest form. Not want of a material thing…but Desire beyond known limits. This is one of the rarest of the seven. White is Purity. Purity of mind, body, soul or will. Just because its alignment is Light, doesn't mean it cannot mean Purity of Hatred either. It is pure, untouched."**_

She smiled.

"_**And the last…is Comprehension. Understanding of oneself, the world around one…the Universe around one. This is the rarest of all, only seen in very, VERY special souls. It takes a vast amount of Comprehension before this one appears…let alone glows as brightly as it does for him. It is the ability to believe, the ability to feel to be. To have it, means you are able to take the pain of others, their TRUE pain, upon yourself, and equate yourself to it. To be able to see what they are going through, to know how they feel. Such things must be Instinct before one is granted this Light."**_

Alicia quietly smiled.

"_**Each orb not only represents an aspect of the Soul, but also has ties to an element. Yellow has ties to Earth and Lightning, Red has ties to Fire and Magma, Green has ties to Wind and Nature, Blue has ties to Water and Ice, Black has ties to Darkness, Shadow, Gravity and is overall the sign of Destruction. And White is connected to Light, and is the sign of those who favor Creation."**_

Kyrie was the one to ask what was on everyone's minds. "Umm…what is the seventh then?"

"_**Chaos."**_

Everyone that wasn't a Deity blinked at that. Clotho sighed. "Stop being over-dramatic Kairi…She means 'Chaos' as a Force. The compilation of all other elements, the fusion of Destruction and Creation. Water and Earth make Darkness, which is the sign of Destruction. Wind and Fire make Light, which is the sign of Creation…yet…it's Earth and Water, with a bit of Fire mixed in that hold the keys to Creating life…while ALL of them hold the keys to Ending life. Which is why the seventh is Silver most of the time…but when it's in action, it glows like a Prism, reflecting all the colors."

Kairi had no retort…for she was now hanging (almost literally) off of Zero's shoulders.

"_**My dear Zero…you've become even more handsome than before…"**_

Zero blinked and raised an eyebrow. Kairi giggled. _**"I've not much time left my dear, her reserves of Dark Energy are depleting rather quickly…it's a pity...but…Sora will always be my true love…despite my feelings for you."**_

That got both eyebrows raised. Now Zero was confused. Kairi giggled again. _**"Don't you worry about it. Now…the Great Mother has asked me bid you something…useful…it seems your good friend Mortality has overstepped his boundaries…and needs to be taught a lesson."**_

Zero nodded.

"_**I have been asked to do something on behalf of the Great Mother…your favorite Goddess, Tiamat."**_

As if they could rise any higher, Zero showed genuine surprise.

"_**Come my dear…these Ideya aren't just for show you know…it is the will of the Great Mother…and this World."**_

"NO! No being can be allowed two designations! This is a rule set by the Great Mother herself!"

"_**And Goddess Lady Tiamat is temporarily revoking this rule to teach you, ALL of you, a lesson**_!" She placed her hands on Zero's chest almost lovingly. Alicia simply sighed and rolled her eyes as Kairi got a little too close for just a friend.

"I swear, what is it about him that makes other girls kiss him even though he's mine?"

Naminé was the one to answer that. "He's just that sexy I guess." Clotho giggled. "More like Kissing is the way mortals show affection when they feel close to one another…well, most of the time. Best way to unleash a shitton of power? Go make out."

A massive wave of light erupted from Zero's body. Kairi began floating back towards Sora as she spoke.

"_**By will of the Great Mother, I bid thee this form. Henceforth, in this form you shall be granted the title God Slayer, and shall be known Circle of Xen! Go Forth my love, and purify this wayward God!"**_

There was a blinding flare of light.

* * *

When the light cleared, they saw a giant multicolored object fire rays of light at Mortality from behind him. The wayward deity screamed in agony as his

existence was reduced to nothing.

"…well that was anti-climactic."

Even Clotho frowned. "Strange…I could have sworn I saw something completely awesome about to happen just before he ascended…"

As the particles of the wayward Deity of Mortality faded, Alicia stepped forward. "I know why."

In a flicker of…something, Zero's ascended form floated before them.

His skin had turned a deep brown, almost pitch black. Glowing silver eyes shone brightly within the dark portals that were his eye sockets. Brilliantly glowing white hair flowed behind him, riding the faintly visible currents of energy swirling around him. He wore a flowing tattered gray robe, illuminated by the multicolored glow of the seven glowing Ideya that surrounded his body.

He stayed silent, doing naught more than floating in place, feet barely touching the 'ground' beneath them.

"You understand don't you? You really do understand me…"

No response.

"You don't have to say anything. I know you do…I can't pass up this chance. You understand that…right?"

A very _very_ slight nod.

Alicia smiled. "Good…I'd hate to do this without you understanding why…it just wouldn't be right."

Everyone else was confused.

"Alicia…what's going on?"

Their response, was Zero floating backwards, and stretching. Six of the seven Ideya, Red through White, stopped revolving around him, and all floated to his back, where the orbs seemed to shatter, and then re-form into glowing swords, almost like a cape behind him.

The seventh floated to his outstretched hand…and formed into a cross tipped staff.

Alicia drew her own blade.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!"

Kairi screamed at the blonde. "You're gonna get yourself KILLED!"

"I'm not. I know what I'm doing. More importantly he knows what I'm doing. He wont kill me. And I know…I know I can't kill him…but I'm not trying to. I just want to see…"

She prepared herself.

"I want to see where I stand."

(BGM: Wild Arms 5 - Persephone IPCC-3927)

She vanished. Zero calmly rose his staff, blocking the suddenly appearing Alicia's swing. She flipped back and swung her blade again, only to have it repelled by his weapon. Turning with the deflection, the leg part of Beowulf appeared on her left leg as she swung her heel at the Ascended warrior. With a quick flick of his wrist, a small field of white surrounded his free hand as he deflected her foot up, forcing her off her feet.

She flung out her left hand, turning the fall into a backward handspring, before launching a lightning quick crescent wave of energy from her sword. Zero's form flickered to the side with a blurry twirl, as the crescent seemed to phase right through him.

Undeterred by her miss, as he was re-appearing she flickered from view. With a speed nobody expected, she threw a solid punch to his face, only to have the arm pushed aside by his right hand, which was now mysteriously devoid of weapon. Going with the motion she once again brought up her left leg, only to have it slammed downward. However, she surprised everyone by going with that motion as well and swinging her right foot in an overhead arc to try to crash upon Zero's skull…only to be evaded.

* * *

"Wait, is she keeping up with him?" Lenneth was impressed.

"Holy crap I think she is!"

"Looks almost like your demon form Dante."

"Almost…doesn't have my style Trish."

Lady couldn't help but quip. "You mean the fact that there actually IS style in his look?"

"Does anyone else get the feeling he's holding back?"

"Tch, obviously…she'd be dead already if he weren't…"

* * *

She bounced backward, repelled by Zero's extended arm. She flicked her left wrist around for a few seconds, silently incanting her wish. Alicia then spun her body around, releasing small orbs of light in a ring around her form. She then flung her arm downward, intoning for the orbs to scatter, and scatter they did.

Suddenly she appeared in front of Zero, blade clashing with his staff, in a block nobody saw him perform. He thrust her backward with a heavy push, the former princess flipping backward as a result of the force put into the maneuver. She landed and vanished, Zero turning to the side to block a horizontal slash, then just standing there as one of the swords from his 'cape' blocked the next, and then turning to block an overhead slash.

* * *

"Alicia'd better pick up the pace…He's blocking her too easily." Kairi was worried for her friend.

Valkyrie placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She knows what she's doing. Just look. Doesn't that look a bit suspicious to you? She's making obvious movements…she wants him to block her."

"…I see it. Interesting plan she has set up there…she's using her movements to disguise the energy signature of the spell she cast…and is waiting for the right time to release it."

"Vergil…I didn't know you better I'd say you were impressed."

"She is interesting…for a human."

_Wait for it…wait for it…_

Ducking under a slash, Zero responded with a fist to her chest, knocking her away. Alicia smirked as she went flying backward.

"She got him. I don't know what she did, but she pulled it off."

Zero blinked confused as to why she was smirking…when he suddenly felt a series of energy spikes coming from around him. The world seemed to slow as a group of blue-white orbs seemed to shimmer into existence for a moment, before forming into energy lances. He blinked in surprise as they all seemed to angle towards him…

* * *

_**He jumped left, evading roughly half the lances, before the other half suddenly shot to where he was going to land, impaling him repeatedly.**_

* * *

They launched at him from above, all moving as one, leaving nary a space to avoid their charge.

* * *

_**Now he jumped right, dodging the first set, and then spiraling backward to avoid the next…only to have another set impale him from behind as they shot from the ground.**_

* * *

The projectiles grew even closer as he seemed to just stand there, not moving.

* * *

_**A slight series of movements allowed him to narrowly evade the impossibly fast projectiles. But then another set appeared surrounding him, causing him to leap in the air as they all shot for him at once. His aerial evasion was cut short as he was forced to flip to the side to evade a much larger lance shooting from the ground in an attempt to impale him…**_

* * *

The projectiles were practically right on top of him now, a wide eyed look on his face.

* * *

"**NO! YOU WILL NOT TAKE HIM!"**

* * *

Suddenly, the air rippled around him as his eyes widened even further, confused by the sudden voice that ripped through his mind. The lances all crashed into him, from above, from below from all around him, even as one huge one slammed into him from the ground…

"Holy crap did she get him?!"

Clotho stared. "No…just look."

_What?! But how?!_

They all watched intently as Zero's form seemed to fade from view…seconds before another ripple of air appeared next to where the lances had struck.

Zero stood, confused…and unharmed. Alicia swore in irritation, assured that she was going to land a strike…when he spoke.

"**Hit."**

Her head snapped to him in shock…and then she smiled.

* * *

"Wait…what does that mean? Why did he say that?!" Kairi was confused.

Death smirked. "It seems…even he doesn't have full control over the amount of power Tiamat gave him…something intervened and got him out of the way of that attack without him commanding it. This world must not want anything to happen to him."

"Ok…doesn't explain why he said that though."

"Foolish Cloud…don't you realize? He's acknowledging that her attack would have struck home. As lady Death said, someone must have stepped in and moved him out of the way. He's classifying that as a connected strike, due to the circumstances." Sephiroth noted.

* * *

Alicia shook her head. _Damn…he's way to powerful…and he hasn't even really attacked yet!_

_Alright Miranda…you said you left me a gift…time to see what that gift is…_

* * *

(Stop song)

Zero took a step forward…then froze.

"What the-

Claris' body was overcome in a wall of white energy. Everyone's attention snapped to her as something seemed to happen. When the light faded, she was practically floating in place, wearing a flowing white gown.

"Princess Mode? Hey, Claris, why did you-

"I didn't do anything! It happened on its own! I don't know what's-

She froze…a sudden blank look appearing on her face.

(BGM: Ar Tonelico II - METHOD-REPLEKIA)

"H-hey…Claris? Claris!"

Energy began building around her as a glowing symbol suddenly appeared beneath her feet.

_Lets see…just what it is you wanted me to have…_

**xA harr hLYUmLYUmOrO eje/.  
xA sorr kLYUvLYUr du qejyu/.  
xI rre fIrIlU hIlIsUsU ayulsa dazua/.  
xA harr nAtLYInO hymmnos/.  
xA sorr mLYOrArA du sphaela/.  
xO rre mLYOtOyOyO giz wOsLYI du giz/.  
xN herr v.t. ess dazua/.  
xN herr v.t. goa balduo sphaela/.**

* * *

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

A massive wall of energy erupted from Claris' body after she spoke the strange unintelligible words.

More unusual windows suddenly appeared. The first contained an image of Alicia, showing glowing red portions where she had taken damage, and numbers indicating the percentage of damage inflicted upon her in total. A long horizontal window was next to her, consisting of a single bar that had a small pink center slowly rising as numbers next to the bar rapidly counted upward.

It was the center window that got the Deities attention. It held but one message.

**REPLEKIA ACTIVATED**

**xN rre hLYImLYUmOrO a.u.k. zess quesa/.  
xN rre hLYUmLYUmOrO byui q.l.s. du sechel/.  
xA harr nAtLYInO hymmnos/.  
xA sorr mLYInLYUgO dn z.z.x./.  
xA harr nAtLYInO hymmnos/.  
xA rre mArArA sphaela/.  
xA rre mArArA balduo ouvyu sphaela/.  
xN rre hNmNmNrN ayulsa/.  
xN rre hNmNmNrN ayulsa/.  
xN rre hNmNmNrN ayulsa/.  
xN rre hNmNmNrN ayulsa/.**

* * *

BOOM

Everyone's attention was taken from the singing Claris, and the strange windows to see Alicia rocket backwards from a massive pillar of energy that shot into the sky. She landed safely only to have to roll away again as the glowing form of Zero brought his staff down upon where she stood.

As the numbers continued to rise, Alicia slowly became faster and faster, each evasion became less of a close call and more of a total miss. The swords were now extended like wings, and the staff was quickly flipped around in his hand to be held by the cross. Zero made a horizontal swing which was blocked, and then twirled and punted Alicia backward before pressing the blow and slamming his weapon down upon her; an attack she just barely defended.

* * *

**xA harr hUmmOrO eje ag dazua/.  
xA sorr kUvUr du qejyu dn balduo/.  
xI rre cEzE fIrIlU hIlIsUsU ayulsa dazua, vega ouvyu giz sphaela/.  
xA harr nAtAnO hymmnos, ut ouvyu/.  
xA sorr mOrArA du daedu ag ujes/.  
xO rre mLYOtOyOyO giz wOsLYI du giz/.  
xA harr jOzOtO ouwua giz hymmnos/.**

* * *

Alicia flung out her right hand, repelling him backward with a wall of light, only to have to flip out of the way as a pillar of stone shot from the ground where she stood seconds before. She jumped over a sweeping kick from just after Zero appeared within a ripple of air, and then gasped as she was narrowly sliced in two by a neigh invisible slash of wind that she just barely bent backward under, the razor sharp wind cutting a few strands of hair.

_DAMMIT MIRANDA! THIS ISNT A FUCKING GIFT IT'S A CURSE!_

* * *

Six glowing orbs of light appeared around Claris' singing form as the song continued. The orbs spiraled around her and formed one massive sphere of energy that seemed to form into a claw.

The window holding the activation notice of "Replekia" suddenly expanded.

**Free Souls: 01**

**02**

**03**

**04**

**05…**

**xA harr hLYUmLYUmOrO eje/.  
xA sorr kLYUvLYUr du qejyu/.  
xI rre fIrIlU hIlIsUsU ayulsa dazua/.  
xA harr nAtLYInO hymmnos/.  
xA sorr mLYOrArA du sphaela/.  
xA harr vIsIkI dazua/.  
xA harr tAhAsA siann/.  
xA harr lAkAkA maen/.  
xA harr hAmmrA byui eje/.**

* * *

Spears of ice suddenly formed next to Alicia. She ducked under their attempt to impale her and then twisted out of the way of a thrust from a charging Zero. She cart-wheeled to the side, evading a slash from his blade, and then flipped over a crescent wave of energy. Alicia flung out an energy charged fist, pushing a wall of light energy at the Ascended warrior, forcing him to fling his weapon to the ground, summoning a barrier of energy around him for a brief moment. He then snatched the staff up again, twirling it around. A series of sharp snaps were heard as small bolts of electricity seemed to surround the blade as he launched it at her like a spear. The princess summoned Beowulf and threw both her hands out in front of her, creating her own defensive field. The launched sword slammed into the barrier and then flipped off as the repulsing force from her defense overcame its thrust.

She dropped the shield, and then found herself rocketing back to the ground as Zero had appeared in front of her and slammed a foot to her chest.

**xA rre wArAmA maen a.u.k. zess titia/.  
xE rre hAkAtt nafan ouwua siann arhou/.  
xA rre sEnEkk mirie, ag hEmmrA eje/.  
xE rre lAnAcAaA eje/.  
xA rre hLYAmLYEmLYErA sphaela/.  
xA harr mLYErErA aje tafane sphaela/.**

* * *

Alicia recovered in mid-air, flinging her legs upward so she would be falling at the 'ground' head first. She summoned Beowulf and made a fist. Alicia slammed into the ground, fists first, and then quickly forced herself away as a pillar of flame tried to engulf her.

Unfortunately, that evasion led her into a trap. A series of vines rocketed from the ground and wrapped themselves around her arms and legs, binding her in place. Zero had **shifted **to where his weapon was falling and grasped it, pulling it back as the Sword-wings fanned out before he launched forward.

_Oh shit he's trying to kill me._

Her eyes widened upon that revelation…and then she slammed them shut summoning as much energy as she could.

* * *

"I KNEW IT! HE'S TRYING TO KILL HER!"

The strange window showing the bar had a number that was past three-hundred-thousand…and was still climbing rapidly. The screen showing the number of 'Free Souls' had reached fifty…and was also still rising.

"It's the song…this song is severely boosting her abilities…and has made her now a threat to his existence, and this world."

"Song magic…I thought Miranda was the last human to be able to wield it…"

"Alright…what the HELL are you two talking about?" Silmeria had gotten annoyed watching Zero try and damn near succeed to kill Alicia.

"EXEC REPLEKIA is a very _very _old spell. Sung in the language of Hymnos, it summons the power of the very **World **it's sung on to gather energy for one attack. Much like Son Goku's spirit bomb, only _far _stronger." Death explained.

"Its use is a very closely guarded and monitored secret. It combines the wills and powers of all those tied to the singer, or in this case, the Activator, who would be Alicia, and preps them for one very strong attack. That cannon, above Claris' head? When she's done singing, which will be VERY soon, it's going to release its energy, firing upon Alicia, which will temporarily charge her with all the power within it. One attack from a properly charged Replekia on specific worlds could wipe out a galaxy." Clotho finished.

"…holy shit."

"Yes. It's no wonder Lord Xenmaru is trying to stop the song."

* * *

**xA harr hUmmOrO eje ag dazua/.  
xA sorr kUvUr du qejyu dn balduo/.  
xI rre cEzE fIrIlU hIlIsUsU ayulsa dazua, vega ouvyu giz sphaela/.  
xA harr nAtAnO hymmnos, ut ouvyu/.  
xA sorr mOrArA du daedu ag ujes/.**

* * *

Her energy flared, shredding the vines holding her in place. She stepped to the side, the blade sliding through the space between her torso and her right arm, and flung her hand out, slamming an energy charged palm into Zero's chest, which stunned him, and sent him flying backward.

She pulled her arms back behind her, and cupped her hands together.

"Ka…me…"

* * *

"WAIT WHAT?! HOW THE HELL DID SHE LEARN THAT?!" Clotho exclaimed.

Lachesis wiggled her pinky inside her ear. "Damn…loud much?"

* * *

Zero recovered from the blow, noting what she was doing. He flung his arms out to his sides, sending a command to the Ideya blades behind him. They sprung to action as he slammed his wrists together in front of him. The swords placed themselves around his arms, the hilts facing his wrists, the tips pointing outward. They then began rotating, three clockwise, three counterclockwise. A massive well of energy began building between his palms as the swords spinning became so fast they looked like two multicolored rings around his arms. The final weapon, his staff, positioned itself in between his hands, sliding between the small space created from both arms, and his hands grasped it as the cross shaped tip seemed to split creating an orb. Energy gathered at the orb.

"Ha…Me…"

Similarly, energy started gathering between Alicia's hands. A small sphere of light appearing in the space created by her cupped palms, growing with every passing second.

* * *

**Free Soul: 100**

**xA rre cEzE hymmnos/.  
xE rre sAlE sphaela arhou/.  
xE rre lAnAcAaA eje/.  
xA rre hLYAmAmArA sphaela/.  
xA rre cLYAzE tafane arhou hymmnos/.  
xA rre yAzAtA aje tafane nEmElA **_**sphaela/.**_

* * *

"_**HA!"**_

Alicia threw her hands forward just as the cannon fired its energy upon her. The power of one hundred reborn Einherjar charging her attack. The pure white beam of energy ripped through the air, straight at Zero.

* * *

"_**Chaotic Requiem…"**_

The ascended warrior launched his own attack, the sphere collapsing and ripping forward as a gigantic multicolored beam of energy at the same instant that Alicia's beam fired from her end.

* * *

The two beams, one white, one prismatic, roared towards one another. For a moment, it looked like the two attacks were going to clash. But the sheer amount of power in both of them created enough of a distortion around each beam that the two attacks seemed to _bend _around the other, and continue on.

Two massive explosions accompanied by two fiercely blinding waves of light tore through the in-between world as the two attacks collided.

* * *

Numerous groans of mild pain and irritation rang through the area as everyone slowly stood. The twin explosions generated enough force to knock everyone off their feet…even the Deities.

"…son of a slut princess you pack a mean punch."

"…the same…could be said…for you Zero…"

Everyone watched as the two fighters got to their feet…and then fell back to the ground simultaneously.

"Bloody hell woman…Kamehameha wave? When did you learn that?"

"Miranda…taught me…just before you finished Ascending."

"…how?"

"I'm guessing that song she sung…she left a bit of herself behind to teach me a few things…she'd been showing up in my dreams for a while, when I was back at Valhalla."

"…dammit Mir…can't stop doin shit even when you're supposed to be resting…"

"SENSEI!"

Zero's four students all jumped over the small river that had seemed to suddenly appear after the light cleared and ran to his side.

"I'm fine, I'm fine…girls, go help Alicia up."

"Hai Sensei!"

Schala and Claris dashed over to the former princess' side and both held an arm as the girl climbed to her feet.

"Well shit…we're right outside the castle…" Zero mused.

Clotho tapped her foot. "Can we go in now?"

Zero chuckled. "Yeah yeah…lets get this done."

Zero opened the doorway to the castle, only to be bowled over by a black and purple blur.

"DADDY!"

**WHAM!**

"Gu-ho**LY** fuck what the shit?"

There was a little girl wearing a pink and white t-shirt with a brownish cookie looking duck creature on it, and a pair of violet pajamas squatting on Zero's stomach with a bright smile on her face.

"Hi daddy."

Zero groaned and looked at the girl for a moment. "…when the hell did I get a kid? And why the FUCK wasn't I informed?"

Slowly, unseen to anyone the Deity of Creation started to edge away.

"You're so silly daddy. You know who I am."

"…I got nothin'."

The girl just smiled brighter. It was the Deity of Balance that answered.

"Odd…her presence is…very large. Almost an entire world's worth…wait a minute…"

Creation backed away a bit faster.

"Zero…this child…she isn't a child…she's…the very essence of this world!"

"Dramatic much?" Zero quipped from underneath the smiling girl. "Anyway, how d'ya figure?"

"Her very being…it's radiating the same pulse as this realm! I would know, I kept an eye on things here during the last few centuries."

"Again, how?"

Rather than speak, she looked at Creation…who freaked.

"Oh look at the time-gotta run!"

Immediately the Deity dashed off, taking to the air to attempt to flee.

"What the shi-DAMMIT GET BACK HERE!"

Almost as if sensing Zero's quickly growing ire, the smile dropped from the black haired girl's face, before she vanished in a flicker of motion that not even Zero himself could track.

A half second later…

**CRACK!**

**BOOM!**

A massive crashing sound cut through the sky as the form of Creation hurtled back to the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust upon impact. The dust cleared and she groaned, trying to stand when suddenly there was another cracking noise as the little girl suddenly appeared above her, and slammed her foot down on Creation's chest, violently pinning the Deity to the ground.

The Goddess' form coughed out a trickle of blood, showing that SOMETHING had been broken. Everyone stared at the little girl who's hair was still fluttering from the obscenely fast movement, whose eyes had made a drastic change to a very violent cold anger. She pointed her hand at the Deity's face as it took on a sickly black glow.

Zero had but one thing to say.

"Whoever she is…she's frickin awesome."

"Shall I kill her for you Daddy?"

Zero blinked, completely blindsided by the speed of the child. "Uhh…huh? Wait…no. No leave her alive…I think she's learned her lesson."

The girl almost seemed to frown. "Pity."

"…ok, fuck awesome, my kid is a goddamn badass."

He got to his feet, stretching slightly. "Damn she hits hard…alright, c'mere Mikoto."

Doing a complete emotional 180, the girl whirled to face Zero and seemed to tele-skip over to him. Yes, tele-skip. It's teleporting while skipping.

_Yep. Total badass._

She appeared next to him, arms spread. He kneeled down slightly and she jumped in his arms, the newly crowned Dream Lord hefting her up and holding her in position as she smiled brightly.

"So…dinner?"

"Sushi!"

"Good taste."

Claris jumped in.

"I've been meaning to show you that one place next to the Tower sensei. We can go there!"

"Sound good Miko?"

"Epic."

Both "father" and "daughter" smiled.

"Alright Andrea, what's the deal. I know she's not really my kid. Miranda's been dead for over five hundred years and it's been around that long since the last time I got any action."

Slowly, the Goddess of Creation stood, wincing. _Damn…she broke a couple ribs from that kick…and I'm lucky she didn't crush my damn lungs from that stomp!_

"She's…this world, given a form. The personification of the Dream Realm, channeled into the body of a little girl. Since you're now the Dream Lord, the Realm decided to take an extra precaution to keep you safe, and happy. She's born from your knowledge, the late Miranda's essence, and this world's power. She IS this world, and you are her Lord, or in her case, her 'father.'"

"…I'm lost."

"I'm born from this world wanting a closer connection to its guardian, and a fragment of your soul that was almost lost in reconfiguration. She stepped in and grabbed that fragment, merging it with the will of this world and creating me. I can act on this world's behalf to protect you, its guardian."

"…so technically you are my daughter."

"Yep."

"So you were the one who kept knocking Mortality around."

"Yes. I kept that worthless scum from setting finger upon daddy. This world wanted that, and I am essentially the child of this world, and part of Daddy's soul."

"Fuckin weird."

"Yep. But I'm happy, cause I have my daddy with me!"

"Mentality of a child…a psychotic killer of a child, but a child none the less. Damn I couldn't ask for a better kid! You kick as much ass as I do!"

Mikoto simply smiled brighter.

Alicia just stared. _Well…damn. What do I do now?_

"You get your but over here that's what Mommy."

Everyone blinked. Zero looked at Mikoto. "Point."

"That one." She pointed to Alicia.

"You sure?"

"Momma Mir said so before she let go didn't she? You picked her. So I pick her."

"Yeah…but…"

"Momma Mir may have pointed you to her but you're the one that followed. You made the choice, she just showed you a possibility."

"Yep. You're definitely my kid. Well, you heard the girl Princess. Want the job?"

"I…what? Mother? Me? I don't- I can't-

"You think I'm father material? Pfft, don't make me laugh, I'm far from it. But, you gotta remember, she looks and acts like a kid…"

"But I'm not really a child."

"I…alright…I give up. You win. I can't argue with that."

"Damn right. Ok…now, we've got one thing to do before we can go party."

"FINALLY." Clotho exclaimed. "For the love of Tia I've been waiting for this part."

"Alright, now, if I remember the layout of my castle…"

"Which you don't because you only just thought it up."

"…you're in my head aren't you Miko?"

"It's cozy in there."

"Right…anyway, the room I need should be on the…"

"Top. There's a warp pad in the center of the hallway about thirty seconds from the door at walking pace. Zero-point-one-five if you use the third stage of Shukuchi or a mid level Shunpo."

"Damn you're good."

"Only the best for my daddy!"

"Warp pad has a maximum load of ten before it chances messing up and throwing you to a random point in the castle."

"The destination is 'Crystal Keep.' The warp will take you straight outside the room we need. Daddy and I will be inside the actual room. Outsiders have to stay outside during the ritual or their energy will be sapped by the song."

"…wait, Song? You can sing?"

"Before Momma Mir severed the connections to Ruined Earth, the Dream Realm was connected to all the worlds through Earth. Since I'm basically this world…"

"You know the songs…Sphilia?"

"I think that will work. It fits both the situation, and you, quite well Daddy."

"Yeah…it does. Inherited her ability for it huh?"

"Well…the part of her that helped make me refines it."

"Nice. Alright. The room doesn't really have visible walls, so you'll see exactly what's happening from our end."

"Daddy we'd better hurry, the longer we wait the harder it'll be to pull off."

"Right. We'll see you after."

The two vanished in a wall of violet orbs. Alicia raced for the teleporter. "Come on!"

* * *

(Final BGM: Ar Tonelico II - EXEC SPHILIA)

"…she sounds almost exactly like Miranda…"

Zero and Mikoto were surrounded by all seven of his Ideya. A glowing glyph of Chaos was beneath their feet as the little girl began singing while Zero, eyes closed, focused his energy upon the seven orbs.

"Originally this song was used to have someone's heart's pain and suffering take form. I'm…impressed with his plan." Creation stated.

Naminé asked. "What do you mean?"

"This song was made for one-on-one contact…but Zero is stretching it to the hearts of the worlds. It's amazing how much power and control he has for a brand new Deity." Atropos answered.

"Of course he does. He was practically _born _in this world. Don't you remember? His mother wasn't supposed to be able to have children and poof, there he is. I mean, human doctors have been wrong multiple times before…" Clotho said

"I remember that…he could have had a sibling, but she wasn't able to produce another kid…it terminated long before the egg could develop properly…" Death responded.

"And then, years later…just before his world discovered magic…he met Miranda. You know if his world wasn't destined to stumble upon the other forces of the universe, he'd have ended up with someone else? He would have been happy either way, but even as Weaver, I still find it amazing how the slightest change can make a big difference. The girl he would have fallen for actually became one of the first people to believe him when he started warning everyone of the Genma's return, and…my attack."

Alicia nodded. "And she sung him this song. He was surprised she knew it from that game, but she sung it perfectly. It was one of his favorites. Actually that's what saved her life."

"She gave you her memories?"

"Some of them…just the important ones pertaining to their relationship. His natural affinity for Destruction was about to overload him, like it did on Wonderland…only this time it would have taken much more than just a small field. But she stopped it by singing this song for him. And then she herself gained her massive amount of power…the only other being in the universe besides him to have the potential to unlock the full power of Chaos."

"And now that title belongs to you."

"Wait what?"

Valkyrie smiled. "She has a point. Or do you not remember flipping out when you thought he was dead?"

"That was…?"

"**Chaos **responded to you that day. Born from Zero's power of Creation…and tapping nearly the full power of Destruction…Chaos found you interesting, and granted you its power."

"…I never realized."

"Soon…the song will end. And the links between worlds will be re-forged. When that happens…this world will be connected to every one of your worlds. And since you all have ties in some way to this world's master…"

Leon finished. "…we'll be able to come and go almost as we please."

"Exactly. You'll all have to leave almost immediately though, to solidify the connection."

"NOT UNTIL AFTER WE HAVE FOOD!" Claris yelled.

Death chuckled. "Alright alright…we can hold the links open for a while."

"Good…"

"She's almost done…"

"We'll be going then. We've done what we needed to do here…and besides, the triplets have to find a new Mortality."

"Balls…I was hoping we could put that off a while…I wanted sushi too…" Clotho moaned.

"You can join them after!"

"Oh fine…"

"Well…its time. Let's head to the gates. We'll meet up with Sensei there."

And with that, they all turned and left…all except Alicia.

"You really want me as your mother huh? …alright."

She walked off.

_I'm glad…I finally found a place I can call home…_

* * *

…and that's it.

It's all over. I hope you all enjoyed the ride.

How long has it been since I started this? It was going to be small. Man…I gotta stop letting things blow out of proportion…I thought I'd never finish this. Hell this final chapter alone is over fifty four pages.

I'll put links to the lyrics and subsequent translations to the hymnos songs in my profile after I post this.

But yeah…it's all over. I hope you liked the battle between Zero and Alicia. Makes up for a lack of Zero v. Fay I think.

Chasingfireflies: Well here it is kit. The last chapter. I've teased you with it for so long. Enjoy kit.

Dragon and Sword Master: final chapter so I'm typing out your whole name. Here it is. Months in the making. After tons and tons of thinking, planning, and lots of writer's block…here it is. I invite you to play the Ar Tonelico series. It's really fun, interesting story, and tons of sexual innuendo. But not only that, but the music is SUPERB.

You two have stuck with me through this whole thing, and I couldn't be more grateful. Even only having two people reviewing, I still have fans, and dammit I couldn't be more happy than to know I've made others happy with my stories.

Thank you. To everyone who read, regardless of whether you reviewed at all or just skimmed it. Thank you all.

And since it is still currently February 14th where I am, here is my Valentines gift to you all.

Thank you all again…

See you next story…


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